Manches

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Sections of a garment designed to cover the arms and that extend from the shoulder to the wrist or elbow ; parts of clothing that encase or protect the arms while allowing movement ; components attached to a garment serving both functional and decorative purposes for arms
2. The tubular or tapered fabric pieces sewn to a garment to cover the wearer's arms ; arm coverings that are integral or detachable elements of apparel ; garment extensions made to provide warmth, style, or protection to the arms
3. Sections affixed to clothing intended to fit around the arms for comfort or fashion ; portions of a shirt, jacket, or coat that provide full or partial arm coverage ; fabric constructs used on apparel to shield or embellish the limbs from shoulder downwards

Etymology: "Manches" is the plural of "manche", a word English borrowed directly from French, where "manche" means "sleeve" and also "handle" (the same Latin-derived root gives English "manche" its sleeve sense). The plural form appears in English mostly in reference to clothing, where it names the sleeves of a garment. English also holds a doublet of this word: "maunch", which came into the language by a different route, so the two are cousins that entered English separately. Only "manche" survives in its French form in modern English writing, and it stays a loanword tied to fashion and costume vocabulary.

Synonyms: sleeves, arms, cuffs