Meaning & use
mittens
Last updated
“mittens” is a form of “mitten”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounplural
Warm coverings for the hands that have one section for the thumb and one for all four fingers together.
Grammar: Usually plural: 'a pair of mittens'. The singular is 'mitten'.
Patterns
- a pair of mittens
- wear mittens
- knit mittens
Put on your mittens; it's freezing outside.
She lost one of her mittens on the way to school.
These woolen mittens keep my hands warmer than gloves.
Word forms
| singular | mitten |
|---|
Common combinations
- a pair of mittens
- He bought a pair of mittens for his daughter.
- woolen mittens
- Woolen mittens are warm but not waterproof.
- wear mittens
- You should wear mittens when you go skiing.
- knit mittens
- My grandmother knits mittens for the whole family every winter.
Synonyms and how they differ
- gloves
- Gloves have separate sections for each finger, while mittens keep four fingers together; mittens are often warmer but less handy.
Word family
- mitt noun
- A short word for a mitten or a type of glove, often used in baseball.
Commonly confused: mittens or gloves?
mittens vs gloves
Gloves have individual fingers; mittens do not. People often mix them up when talking about winter clothing.
Practice
What is the main difference between mittens and gloves?
Choose one answer.
Mittens have one section for the thumb and one for the other four fingers, while gloves have separate sections for each finger. Option An is the opposite of the truth, option B is false because both can be made of wool, and option D is incorrect because people of all ages wear mittens.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mittens”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.