cardigan

noun

car·​di·​gan ˈkär-di-gən How to pronounce cardigan (audio)
: a usually collarless sweater or jacket that opens the full length of the center front

Examples of cardigan in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The knitwear capsule, which ranges in size from 0 to 5 years, includes a cardigan ($165), button-shoulder crewneck ($165) and bonnet ($99) in three color variations as well as one pair of booties ($105). — Ari Stark, Footwear News, 26 Oct. 2026 Paltrow has a knack for finding unique, instantly covetable pieces, and her charcoal gray cardigan with a matching thin scarf is no exception. — Jamie Allison Sanders, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2026 Number 87 strutted into Arrowhead Stadium after the NFL bye week wearing a cable knit, wool-blend letterman cardigan ($249) from the line. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2026 This cardigan matching set makes getting dressed for a travel day ridiculously easy, with a cropped cardigan and coordinating bottoms that didn’t require much thought. — Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cardigan

Word History

Etymology

James Thomas Brudenell, 7th Earl of Cardigan †1868 English soldier

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cardigan was in 1856

Browse Nearby Words

cardiform
cardigan
Cardigan
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cardigan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cardigan. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cardigan

noun
car·​di·​gan ˈkärd-i-gən How to pronounce cardigan (audio)
: a usually collarless sweater opening down the front

Geographical Definition

Cardigan

geographical name

Car·​di·​gan ˈkär-di-gən How to pronounce Cardigan (audio)
variants or Cardiganshire
ˈkär-di-gən-ˌshir How to pronounce Cardigan (audio)
-shər
former county of western Wales; capital Aberystwyth

More from Merriam-Webster on cardigan

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cardigan

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