gaiters

/ˈɡeɪ.təz/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈɡeɪ.t̬ɚz/ (ame, ipa)

gaiters — noun

1. thick fabric or leather covers that wrap around the lower part of each leg, fitt

1.名詞C1
釋義

thick fabric or leather covers that wrap around the lower part of each leg, fitting over the top of a boot, used by hikers and climbers to stop mud, snow, or water from going inside the boot

例句

Diego pulled on his gaiters before climbing the muddy trail up the mountain.

pull on + gaiters for getting ready to hike

A pair of waterproof gaiters kept Linh's socks dry as she crossed the snowy field.

collocation: a pair of (waterproof) gaiters

同義詞
  • leggings

    broader: leggings can be tight trousers or leg coverings; gaiters specifically cover the lower leg over boots

  • spats

    shorter, often more formal; spats cover only the ankle, not the calf

  • puttees

    older / military term; long fabric strips wound around the calf rather than a fitted cover

文法句型

wear + gaiters

a pair of gaiters

用法筆記

Almost always plural — comes as a matching pair, one for each leg. Subject is typically a person doing outdoor work or sport; objects tend to involve boots, trails, mud, snow, or rain.

常見錯誤

❌I bought a gaiter for hiking.
✅I bought a pair of gaiters for hiking.
💡almost always plural; you wear one on each leg, so the standard countable form is 'a pair of gaiters'.

2. low shoes that reach just above the ankle and have stretchy panels along the sid

2.名詞C2
釋義

low shoes that reach just above the ankle and have stretchy panels along the sides so that a person can pull them on without laces; chiefly an older style now mostly seen in costume or vintage settings

例句

Beatrix laced her dress and stepped into her grandmother's soft black gaiters before the dance.

pull-on action without laces — wearing the shoe

Daichi wore polished brown gaiters on stage while playing a Victorian schoolteacher in the play.

common context: period costume on stage

同義詞
  • ankle boots

    modern equivalent; ankle boots may use zips or laces, while gaiters use elastic side panels

  • Chelsea boots

    close modern descendant of this style; the elastic-sided design survives in Chelsea boots

文法句型

wear + gaiters

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: sense 1 is a separate cover that goes over a boot; sense 2 IS the shoe itself. Modern English overwhelmingly uses sense 1 — if a learner encounters 'gaiters' in a contemporary text, sense 1 is the safe assumption.

常見錯誤

❌She wore gaiters under her hiking boots.
✅She wore gaiters over her hiking boots.
💡when meaning the leg covering (sense 1) it goes OVER the boot; sense 2 (the shoe) is not worn with separate boots at all.