A glove is a garment covering the hand, with separate sheaths or openings for each finger including the thumb. Gloves protect and comfort hands against cold or heat, damage by friction, abrasion or chemicals, and disease; or in turn to provide a guard for what a bare hand should not touch.
Assorted gloves (a museum collection)
Minoan youths boxing, Knossos fresco. One of the earliest documented uses of gloves.
Han Dynasty half-finger mitts, 2nd century BCE, embroidered silk, unearthed from Mawangdui.
European gloves, late 17th century, silk, metal thread. Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Medical gloves are disposable gloves used during medical examinations and procedures to help prevent cross-contamination between caregivers and patients. Medical gloves are made of different polymers including latex, nitrile rubber, polyvinyl chloride and neoprene; they come unpowdered, or powdered with corn starch to lubricate the gloves, making them easier to put on the hands.
Dentist wearing nitrile gloves
Nitrile powder free gloves