mitten

Etymology

From Middle English myteyne, from Old French mitaine (Modern French mitaine), of unclear origin; possibly from mite, miste (“playful name for cat”) + -aine. Alternatively, mitaine may be from Old High German mittamo (“half”), superlative of mitti (“midpoint”), from Proto-Germanic *midjô, *midją (“middle, center”), from Proto-Indo-European *médʰyos (“between, in the middle, center”). Compare Catalan mitana, Medieval Latin mitta, mitana, and Occitan mitana.

noun

1. A type of glove or garment that covers a hand with a separate sheath for the thumb, but not for other fingers, which are either enclosed in a single section or left uncovered.
2. A cat's or dog's paw that is a different colour from the main body.
3. (colloquial, dated, as "the mitten") A romantic rejection; dismissal of a lover.
   to give someone the mitten; to get the mitten
4. (slang, chiefly in the plural) A boxing glove.

verb

1. (transitive) To dress in mittens; to put a mitten on.