Meaning & use
short-sleeved
Last updated
UK/ˌʃɔːt ˈsliːvd/
US/ˌʃɔrt ˈslivd/
Meaning
adjectivebefore a noun
Describing a piece of clothing whose sleeves stop above the elbow, so the lower arm is bare.
Grammar: Often used before a noun, but can also follow be: the shirt is short-sleeved.
Patterns
- a short-sleeved shirt
- short-sleeved top
He wore a short-sleeved shirt in the hot office.
She packed three short-sleeved tops for the trip.
The nurses' uniform is a short-sleeved tunic.
Common combinations
- short-sleeved shirt
- A short-sleeved shirt is fine for summer.
- short-sleeved dress
- She chose a short-sleeved dress for the wedding.
- short-sleeved top
- I need a short-sleeved top that does not wrinkle.
- short-sleeved uniform
- The staff wear a short-sleeved uniform in July.
Synonyms and how they differ
- half-sleeved
- This is used in some regions for sleeves reaching about the elbow, so it can be a little longer.
- sleeveless
- This means no sleeves at all and so is more revealing.
- cap-sleeved
- This means very short sleeves that only cover the top of the shoulder.
Opposites
long-sleevedsleeveless
Word family
- sleeve noun
- the part of clothing covering the arm
- sleeveless adjective
- without sleeves
- long-sleeved adjective
- with sleeves to the wrist
- shirtsleeves noun
- the arms of a shirt without a jacket
Commonly confused: short-sleeved or short-sleeve?
short-sleeved vs short-sleeve
Short-sleeve is a variant, mainly American, used before a noun: a short-sleeve shirt. Short-sleeved is the more general form.
Practice
It was so hot that everyone arrived in ___ shirts.
Choose one answer.
Short-sleeved shirts suit hot weather. Long-sleeved shirts would keep you warmer.
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