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Glove

language culture Maturity 5-7 Next article →

A glove is a special garment designed to cover the hand. It features separate openings, or sheaths, for every finger and the thumb.

Gloves2
Gloves2

People use gloves for many different reasons. They provide comfort against extreme heat or cold. They also protect skin from friction, chemicals, or disease. Some gloves act as a guard so hands do not touch dangerous things.

Disposable nitrile glove
Disposable nitrile glove

You can find them made from many materials. These include cloth, wool, leather, rubber, silk, and even metal.

There are many different ways to design a glove. Fingerless gloves have openings but no covering for each finger.

Leather fingerless gloves
Leather fingerless gloves

These are useful when someone needs dexterity, or the ability to move fingers easily. Cyclists, guitar players, and even church organists sometimes use them. There is also a hybrid called a "glitten." This is a mix of a glove and a mitten. It has a compartment that can be flipped back using a button or a hook-and-loop fastener. This allows the wearer to switch between a mitten and a glove quickly.

Gloves have been used for a very long time.

Mawangdui Han Mitts (10113103185)
Mawangdui Han Mitts (10113103185)

They appear in ancient Egyptian tombs and in depictions of Minoan youths boxing. In the 2nd century BCE, the Han dynasty made silk finger mitts. During the Middle Ages, soldiers wore metal armor called gauntlets for defense. By the 13th century, ladies began wearing linen or silk gloves as fashion. In the 16th century, Queen Elizabeth I made them very popular. She wore gloves that were richly embroidered and covered in jewels.

Gloves MET C.I.42.136ab F
Gloves MET C.I.42.136ab F

History shows how gloves changed based on what people needed. In the 17th century, a fad for gloves made of soft chicken skin became popular. Some were even made from the skin of unborn calves and called "limericks."

Pierre Auguste Renoir - Portrait of Mme. Paulin - Google Art Project
Pierre Auguste Renoir - Portrait of Mme. Paulin - Google Art Project

In the 19th century, thin white cotton gloves called "Berlin gloves" were common. These were often worn by servants or the military. Even kings used them as symbols of power. King Henry II of England was buried wearing golden gloves in 1189.

Today, we use gloves for almost every activity.

Puma Furio Gloves - Punggung Tangan
Puma Furio Gloves - Punggung Tangan

Athletes use them for many sports. Baseball players wear gloves to catch balls without getting hurt. Cricket batsmen wear heavy padding to protect their fingers. Racing drivers use special gloves to grip steering wheels.

Trockenhandschuh
Trockenhandschuh

Scuba divers use rubber gloves with latex seals to keep water out. Even technology has changed how we use them. We now have touchscreen gloves that allow us to use phones while wearing them.

Isotoner touch gloves BB E86 jeh
Isotoner touch gloves BB E86 jeh
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🖼️ Images & Media (14)
File:Young boxers fresco, Akrotiri, Greece.jpg
Young boxers fresco, Akrotiri, Greece.jpg
File:Mawangdui Han Mitts (10113103185).jpg
Mawangdui Han Mitts (10113103185).jpg
File:Gloves MET C.I.42.136ab F.jpg
Gloves MET C.I.42.136ab F.jpg
File:Pierre Auguste Renoir - Portrait of Mme. Paulin - Google Art Project.jpg
Pierre Auguste Renoir - Portrait of Mme....
File:Gloves MET 21.510 CP4.jpg
Gloves MET 21.510 CP4.jpg
File:Disposable nitrile glove.jpg
Disposable nitrile glove.jpg
File:Trockenhandschuh.jpg
Trockenhandschuh.jpg
File:Puma Furio Gloves - Punggung Tangan.JPG
Puma Furio Gloves - Punggung Tangan.JPG
File:Three finger gloves 1995.jpg
Three finger gloves 1995.jpg
File:Isotoner touch gloves BB E86 jeh.jpg
Isotoner touch gloves BB E86 jeh.jpg
File:Leather fingerless gloves.JPG
Leather fingerless gloves.JPG
File:MotoEqipments HelmetBootsJacketAndGloves.jpg
MotoEqipments HelmetBootsJacketAndGloves.jpg

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