Dictionary

armhole en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈɑɹmˌhoʊl/ (US)
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English arme hole, armehole, arm hole, arm-hole, armhole, arm-hool(e), armole, harmehole; equivalent to arm + hole.

Meanings

1. (Midlands, archaic, dialectal) A human armpit.
   • Armhole is a variant on armpit in the west and east Midlands. 2005 September 7, Birmingham Post, page 9:
   • Put these ragges and cloutes vnder thine arme holes. 1535, Bible (Coverdale Bible), Jer. 38:12
   • An aposteme gendred in þe purgynge places, þat is to say, of þe brayne vnder þe eres, of þe herte vnder þe arme holes, of þe lyuer in the schares. c. 1425, Guy de Chauliac, The Grande Chirurgie, page 154:
2. (obsolete, rare) Similar structures in other animals.
3. A hole for an arm in a piece of clothing.
   • He... violently pull'd off her Riding-Hood, and tore it at the Arm Holes in pulling it off. 1731 January 15, Proceedings of the Old Bailey, page 13:

Forms

Synonyms

underarm (cavity beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder) · axilla (cavity beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder) · oxter (cavity beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder) · armpit (cavity beneath the junction of the arm and shoulder)

Translations (8)

sv ärmhål (hole in a piece of clothing) · fr emmanchure (hole in a piece of clothing) · pt cava (hole in a piece of clothing) · fi kädenreikä (hole in a piece of clothing) · es sisa (hole in a piece of clothing) · fo ermahol (hole in a piece of clothing) · es sobaquera (hole in a piece of clothing) · cmn 袖窿 (hole in a piece of clothing)