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Glite Dictionary
raglan sleeve

raglan sleeve

6.2
A sleeve that goes to the collar in one piece with a slanted seam from the armpit to the neck
  • noun
  • /ˈræɡlən sliːv/
translation icon : manga raglán
  • She chose a dress with raglan sleeves for a relaxed yet fashionable look at the party.

Examples

  • Currently I'm working on a basic raglan sleeve cardigan from a sweater wheel that I ordered on eBay.

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  • The designer created a stylish jacket featuring raglan sleeves that allow for comfortable arm movement.

  • Many athletes prefer tops with raglan sleeves because they provide greater flexibility during movement.

Surface Forms

raglan sleeve singular
raglan sleeves plural

Morphology

raglan + sleeve

The compound is fully compositional: 'raglan' names a garment style (sleeves extending to the collar) and 'sleeve' names the arm covering, so the phrase simply denotes the sleeve of that style. This noun‑noun construction follows a transparent descriptive pattern that a learner who knows both constituents can readily understand.

Etymology

The name raglan sleeve comes from one popular story about Lord Raglan, a soldier who lost an arm and needed coats that were 'easy to put on'. Those coats had a sleeve made in one piece up to the collar with a diagonal seam from under the arm to the neck, so today raglan sleeve means that single-piece sleeve 'giving more freedom to move'.