What it means
دستکش (dastkesh) is the Persian word for gloves. It is a native compound formed from دست (dast, hand) and کش (kesh, from the verb کشیدن, to pull or draw), so it literally describes something that is pulled onto the hand. The word is fully transparent to any Persian speaker, requiring no borrowing from Arabic or other languages. It covers every kind of glove: winter knitted gloves, leather driving gloves, rubber kitchen gloves, and surgical gloves are all دستکش.
How to use it
- دستکشتو جا نذار. (dastkesh-eto jâ nazâr.) “Don’t leave your gloves behind.”
- هوا سرده دستکش بپوش. (havâ sarde, dastkesh bepush.) “It’s cold, put your gloves on.”
- دستکش جراحی استریله. (dastkesh-e jarâhi esterile.) “Surgical gloves are sterile.”
- یه جفت دستکش چرم لازم دارم. (ye joft dastkesh-e charm lâzem dâram.) “I need a pair of leather gloves.”
Cultural note
In Iran, gloves are primarily a cold-weather accessory in the northern and mountainous regions, where winters can be harsh. Knitted wool or synthetic gloves are widely sold in bazaars from late autumn onward. The word دستکش also appears in medical, culinary, and industrial contexts, showing how a single well-formed Persian compound can cover a wide semantic range without needing separate borrowed terms for each type.