cardigan

This page is about the eponym cardigan

Meaning

a jacket-like, woollen sweater that opens at the front and may have buttons that are often left undone

For example

  • It's a bit cold in here. Can you pass me my cardigan?

  • The school uniform includes a white blouse, black pants, and a navy blue cardigan.

Origin: The 7th Earl of Cardigan, James Thomas Brudenell (1797-1868), was an officer in the British Army. He - and his men - often wore knitted waistcoats that opened at the front. After he led the successful Charge of the Light Brigade in 1854 against Russian forces in the Crimea, the waistcoats or "cardigans" became highly fashionable in England.

Quick Quiz

What does your cardigan look like?

a. It's made of heavy wool and has small buttons up the front.

b. It's knee-length with a high turtleneck.

c. It's a v-neck made of silk.
a) It's made of heavy wool and has small buttons up the front. b) It's knee-length with a high turtleneck. c) It's a v-neck made of silk.

Contributor: Tara Benwell