Meaning & use
gilets
Last updated
“gilets” is a form of “gilet”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nouncountableBritish
A light sleeveless jacket that you wear over other clothes, often padded or quilted for warmth.
Grammar: Countable: one gilet, two gilets. Usually spelled gilet in British English.
Patterns
- wear a gilet
- a padded gilet
She put on a thin gilet over her sweater before going out.
The shop sells quilted gilets in several colors.
Word forms
| singular | gilet |
|---|
Common combinations
- a padded gilet
- He wears a padded gilet when walking the dog in winter.
- a quilted gilet
- Quilted gilets are popular in autumn.
- wear a gilet
- You can wear a gilet instead of a full coat.
- a bodywarmer gilet
- A bodywarmer gilet keeps your chest warm but leaves your arms free.
Synonyms and how they differ
- vest
- The usual American word for a similar sleeveless garment; in British English a vest is usually an undergarment.
- bodywarmer
- A very close British synonym for a padded sleeveless jacket, often used in shops.
Commonly confused: gilets or gilette?
gilets vs gilette
A common misspelling caused by the razor brand Gillette; the clothing item is spelled gilet.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'gilet' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A gilet is a sleeveless jacket worn over other clothes, so option 0 fits. The others use the word with meanings it does not have.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “gilets”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.