gilet

IPA/ˈʒiːleɪ/
IPA/ʒəˈleɪ/

gilet — noun

  • giletsingular
  • giletsplural

1. an outer garment shaped like a jacket but with no sleeves, often padded and worn

1.nounC1
Definition

an outer garment shaped like a jacket but with no sleeves, often padded and worn on top of a shirt or sweater for extra warmth.

Example

Hoa pulled a navy gilet over her wool sweater before the morning run.

wear a gilet over [a warmer layer]

The hiking shop on Oxford Street had quilted gilets stacked by the door.

collocation: quilted gilet

Common collocations
  • padded gilet
  • fleece gilet
  • down gilet
  • quilted gilet
Synonyms
  • bodywarmer

    British, often used for padded outdoor versions

  • vest

    American English equivalent for the same outerwear garment

  • waistcoat

    a more formal, tailored sleeveless top usually worn as part of a suit

Grammar Patterns

a gilet

wear a gilet over [a layer]

Usage Note

Chiefly British; American English usually says 'vest' for the same garment. Frequently modified by the filling or fabric (down, fleece, quilted, tweed).

Common Mistakes

I wore a gilet with long sleeves.
I wore a gilet over a long-sleeved shirt.
a gilet has no sleeves by definition; the sleeves come from the layer underneath.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words name a sleeveless top, but the differences matter. 'Gilet' is the standard British fashion and outdoor term for a sleeveless jacket-style garment, often padded or fleece, worn for warmth — 'She wore a navy gilet on the trail.' 'Bodywarmer' is also British and overlaps heavily with 'gilet', but it suggests a sportier, insulated padded design rather than something dressy. 'Vest' is the American equivalent of 'gilet' for outerwear ('a down vest'), though in British English 'vest' usually means an undershirt — beware the transatlantic mismatch. 'Waistcoat' is more formal and tailored, worn buttoned under a suit jacket — 'The groom chose a grey waistcoat to match his tie.'

gilet ↗bodywarmer ↗vest ↗waistcoat ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • padded gilet
  • fleece gilet
  • down gilet
  • quilted gilet
  • tweed gilet

Phrases

  • zip up a gilet
  • wear a gilet over a sweater

Prepositions

  • over [a layer]
  • under [a jacket]

Etymology

TurkishArabicSpanishFrenchEnglish

Borrowed into English in the early nineteenth century from French 'gilet', meaning a sleeveless jacket or waistcoat. The French word itself came from Spanish 'jileco' or 'gileco', which traces back through Arabic 'jalīka' to Turkish 'yelek', a sleeveless garment worn in Ottoman-era costume. The path reflects the way Mediterranean trade carried both the garment and its name westward into European fashion.