mitten

Meaning

Noun

1. A type of glove or garment that covers a hand with a separate sheath for the thumb, but not for other fingers, which are either enclosed in a single section or left uncovered.
2. The paw of a cat or dog that is of a different color from the main body.
3. (colloquial, dated) A romantic rejection; dismissal of a lover.
4. (in-plural, slang) A boxing glove.

Verb

To dress in mittens; to put a mitten on.

Synonyms

glove

mitt

gauntlet

mittens

boxing gloves

handwear

Translations

Fäustling

mitaine

moufle

Fausthandschuh

gant

mitón

want

handschoen

manopla

Handschuh

mitena

luva

mezzoguanto

manopole

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmɪtn̩/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: myteyne

Cognate with French: mitaine

Cognate with Catalan: mitana

Cognate with Occitan: mitana

In summary

From Middle English myteyne, from Old French mitaine (Modern French mitaine), of unclear origin; possibly from mite, miste (“playful name for cat”) + -aine. Alternatively, mitaine may be from Old High German mittamo (“half”), superlative of mitti (“midpoint”), from Proto-Germanic *midjô, *midją (“middle, center”), from Proto-Indo-European *médʰyos (“between, in the middle, center”). Compare Catalan mitana, Medieval Latin mitta, mitana, and Occitan mitana.