Meaning & use
jumper
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Meanings
nouncountableBritish
A warm knitted piece of clothing for the upper body, usually with sleeves, pulled over the head.
Grammar: Countable: you can say a jumper, two jumpers, etc.
Patterns
- wear a jumper
- put on a jumper
- a woolen jumper
She put on a thick jumper because the office was cold.
He bought a new jumper in the sales.
This jumper is too small; I need a bigger size.
nouncountable
A person who jumps, especially in sports or as a performer.
Grammar: Countable; often used with an adjective or in compounds like 'high jumper'.
Patterns
- a high jumper
- a long jumper
- a ski jumper
The high jumper cleared the bar easily.
She is a talented long jumper for her school team.
The crowd cheered as the ski jumper landed perfectly.
nouncountableAmerican
A sleeveless dress worn over a blouse or shirt, especially in American English.
Grammar: Countable; this sense is mainly American.
Patterns
- wear a jumper
- a school jumper
- a plaid jumper
In the US, a jumper often means a sleeveless dress worn with a shirt underneath.
The little girl wore a navy jumper to school.
She paired her jumper with a white blouse.
Word forms
| plural | jumpers |
|---|
Common combinations
- woolly jumper
- He wore a woolly jumper to the bonfire.
- put on a jumper
- Put on a jumper if you're going outside.
- knit a jumper
- My grandmother knitted me a jumper for my birthday.
- school jumper
- The children must wear a school jumper with their uniform.
- jumper dress
- She wore a jumper dress over a turtleneck.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sweater
- The usual American word for the knitted garment; in British English, 'jumper' is more common.
- pullover
- A similar knitted top, but often without buttons and sometimes with a V-neck; slightly more formal than 'jumper'.
- sweatshirt
- A casual top made of thick cotton, not knitted wool; less warm and more sporty than a jumper.
Word family
Commonly confused: jumper or jumpsuit?
jumper vs jumpsuit
A jumpsuit is a one-piece garment covering the body and legs, while a jumper is a knitted top (British) or a sleeveless dress (American).
Practice
In British English, which sentence uses 'jumper' correctly?
Choose one answer.
In British English, a jumper is a knitted garment for the upper body, so 'put on a warm jumper' fits. Option A describes a sleeveless dress, which is the American sense. Option C uses 'jumper' for a pilot, which is not standard. Option D is nonsense; a jumper is not a computer part.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “jumper”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.