What does dolman mean?
A dolman is a loose, flowing garment, most commonly a woman's cloak or mantle characterized by wide, cape-like sleeves that drape softly from narrow shoulders. In modern fashion, the term also describes the 'dolman sleeve,' a distinctive cut that is extremely broad at the armhole and narrows sharply toward the wrist, giving jackets and knitwear a relaxed, elegant silhouette. The word entered English from Turkish via Hungarian usage, where it originally named a similar loose outer garment worn by cavalry soldiers, notably hussars, in the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries. Today 'dolman' appears chiefly in fashion journalism, sewing and knitting patterns, and discussions of historical costume, where it connotes softness, drapery, and a certain vintage glamour. It should not be confused with 'dolmen,' the unrelated name for a prehistoric stone tomb.
nounA loose, flowing garment worn by women, typically a cloak or mantle with wide, cape-like sleeves; also, a sleeve cut very wide at the armhole and narrow at the wrist (a 'dolman sleeve').
- A loose, open-fronted garment for women, resembling a mantle or cloak, often with cape-like sleeves.
- (In fashion) A sleeve that is very wide at the shoulder/armhole and tapers toward the wrist, as in a dolman jacket.
- Historically, a loose outer garment worn by Hungarian and Turkish cavalry soldiers.
"She draped her velvet dolman over her shoulders and stepped out into the evening air."
"The designer paired a belted dress with an oversized knitted dolman."
"Nineteenth-century portraits often show hussars in fur-trimmed dolmans slung over one shoulder."
Regular plural; used when referring to multiple garments or multiple examples of the sleeve style.
"The museum's textile collection includes several nineteenth-century military dolmans."
Despite looking like it belongs on the cover of a fashion catalogue, the word 'dolman' comes from a Turkish verb meaning simply 'to wrap' — and has nothing to do with the Stone Age 'dolmen'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of dolman
The word 'dolman' derives from the Turkish verb 'dolamak', meaning 'to wrap or wind around', passing into European languages through Hungarian, whose hussars wore a characteristic loose outer garment called a dolman. It was adopted into English around the late sixteenth or early seventeenth century, initially referring to this military garment before becoming associated with women's fashion, where it described cloaks and capes of similar loose construction. Its ultimate root is Turkic, and it shares no etymological connection with 'dolmen', which comes from Breton.
Related word forms
How dolman is actually used
Primarily encountered in fashion writing, historical costume contexts, and knitting/sewing patterns. The military sense is now largely historical, referring to garments of Hungarian hussars and related troops.
Easily confused with dolman
A dolmen is a prehistoric megalithic tomb of upright stones capped by a slab, whereas a dolman is an item of clothing — the two words are unrelated.