# sweater

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈswɛtə/ · frequency rank #9,967

## Definitions
1. A knitted jacket or jersey, usually of thick wool, worn by athletes before or after exercise.
2. A similar garment worn for warmth.
3. One who sweats (produces sweat).
4. One who or that which causes to sweat.
5. A diaphoretic remedy.
6. An exploitative middleman who subcontracted piece work in the tailoring trade.
7. One who sweats coins, i.e. removes small portions by shaking them.
8. A London street ruffian in Queen Anne's time who prodded passers-by with his sword-point.

## Etymology
From Middle English swētere, equivalent to sweat + -er.

## Easily confused with
- **sweaty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sweater-vs-sweaty)
- **sweats** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sweater-vs-sweats)
- **sweeper** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sweater-vs-sweeper)
- **sweeten** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sweater-vs-sweeten)
- **swear** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/swear-vs-sweater)
- **sweat** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sweat-vs-sweater)
- **seated** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/seated-vs-sweater)
- **slater** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/slater-vs-sweater)
- **skater** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/skater-vs-sweater)
- **seater** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/seater-vs-sweater)
- **setter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/setter-vs-sweater)
- **sealer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sealer-vs-sweater)
- **Seager** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/seager-vs-sweater)
- **speaker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/speaker-vs-sweater)
- **shelter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shelter-vs-sweater)
- **steamer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/steamer-vs-sweater)
- **specter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/specter-vs-sweater)
- **sneaker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sneaker-vs-sweater)
- **shearer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/shearer-vs-sweater)
- **smelter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/smelter-vs-sweater)

## Common misspellings (10)
`sewater`, `ssweater`, `swaeter`, `sweaetr`, `sweaterr`, `sweatre`, `sweatter`, `swetaer`, `swweater`, `wseater`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/sweater