Armholes

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The openings in garments like shirts or dresses where the arms pass through are known as armholes; they are designed to provide ease of movement and comfort for the wearer; fabric edges around these openings are often finished to prevent fraying
2. These areas in clothing that allow the arms to enter are referred to as armholes, which help enhance fit and mobility in various types of apparel; they are typically positioned to align with the wearer's shoulder and arm
3. Openings found in the sides of tops, dresses, or jackets for the arms are called armholes; they serve a functional purpose by allowing free movement and contributing to the garment's overall design aesthetics

Etymology: "Armholes" is the plural of "armhole," a compound formed from "arm" and "hole." The compound is old in English, appearing in Middle English in a range of spellings, including "armehole," "arm-hool," "armole," and even "harmehole," which shows how loosely the two parts were joined before the spelling settled. The word is simply descriptive. The "arm" is the limb the opening accommodates, and the "hole" is the gap cut through the fabric. Its transparency is a useful reminder of how many clothing terms in English were built from plain physical parts of the body and the garment rather than from borrowed vocabulary.

Synonyms: sleeve openings, arm openings