# jumper

/ˈdʒəmpɝ/ (US) · /dʒˈʌmpɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/jumper
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. clothing: sweater

noun · CEFR A2 · British English

a warm piece of clothing with long sleeves, usually made of wool, that you pull over your head.

For teachers: a knitted garment, typically made of wool or cotton, worn over the upper body. In British English, this is the standard term for a sweater or pullover.

- It was getting cold outside, so she put on a thick blue jumper.
- The school uniform policy requires students to wear a navy blue jumper over their collared shirts during the winter months.

Usage: Commonly used in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand where American speakers would say 'sweater'.

### 2. clothing: sleeveless dress

noun · CEFR B1 · American English

a dress without sleeves that is usually worn over a shirt or blouse.

For teachers: A sleeveless, one-piece dress or a skirt with an attached bodice, typically worn over a blouse or turtleneck.

- The little girl wore a plaid jumper over a white long-sleeved shirt.
- For the autumn collection, the designer featured a corduroy jumper paired with a lightweight silk blouse.

Teaching tip: Learners should be aware that this word refers to a dress in the US but a sweater in the UK.

### 3. someone who jumps

noun · CEFR B1

a person or animal that jumps, especially in a sport.

For teachers: An athlete or animal participating in a jumping event, such as high jump or long jump.

- The horse is a natural jumper and easily cleared the high fence.
- The Olympic jumper spent years perfecting his technique to gain those extra few centimetres in the triple jump final.

### 4. basketball shot

noun · CEFR B2 · American English · Informal

a shot in basketball where the player jumps into the air.

For teachers: A jump shot; a basketball shot made while the player is at the highest point of a vertical leap.

- He took a quick jumper from the corner and scored three points.
- The guard's ability to hit a contested jumper consistently made him a threat from anywhere on the perimeter.

### 5. electrical part

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a small wire or pin used to connect parts of an electrical circuit.

For teachers: A short length of conductor used to close, open, or bypass part of an electronic circuit.

- You might need to move the jumper on the motherboard to reset the settings.
- The technician used a jumper to bypass the faulty switch and restore power to the diagnostic panel.

### 6. to connect electrically

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to connect two electrical points using a small wire.

For teachers: To create an electrical bypass or connection between two points using a jumper wire.

- The engineer had to jumper the two terminals to test the alarm system.
- By jumpering the connection, the maintenance crew was able to keep the cooling system running while the primary controller was being replaced.

## Examples

- I need to wear a thick jumper because it is cold outside.
- She pulled a blue wool jumper over her head before heading out for a walk in the autumn air.
- While the fashion industry often distinguishes between cardigans and pullovers, the term jumper remains the standard British designation for any heavy knitted top designed for warmth.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.