Meaning & use

knitwear

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈnɪtweə/
US/ˈnɪtwer/

Meaning

  1. noununcountable

    Clothes such as sweaters and cardigans made by knitting yarn.

    Grammar: No plural and no a: This shop sells lovely knitwear.

    Patterns

    • a piece of knitwear

    The shop sells hand-made knitwear.

    I packed warm knitwear for the trip to Iceland.

    Her brand is famous for colorful knitwear.

Common combinations

wool knitwear
I bought some wool knitwear for winter.
designer knitwear
She loves designer knitwear.
chunky knitwear
Chunky knitwear is popular in autumn.
knitwear department
The knitwear department is on the second floor.
cashmere knitwear
Cashmere knitwear is soft but expensive.

Synonyms and how they differ

sweaters
Sweaters are one specific garment, while knitwear covers all knitted clothing.
woolens
Woolens are made of wool, but knitwear may use cotton or synthetic yarn.
jumpers
Jumpers are British pullovers, a narrower category than knitwear.
cardigans
Cardigans open at the front and are a type of knitwear.

Word family

knit verb
to make with yarn and needles
knitter noun
a person who knits
knitting noun
the activity or the work

Commonly confused: knitwear or knitting?

knitwear vs knitting

Knitting is the process or the unfinished work, while knitwear is the finished clothing.

Practice

Which sentence is correct?

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “knitwear”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.

Explore more words