coat

American  

[koht] / koʊt /

noun

1. an outer garment with sleeves, covering at least the upper part of the body.

   a new fur coat; a coat for formal wear.

2. a natural integument or covering, as the hair, fur, or wool of an animal, the bark of a tree, or the skin of a fruit.

3. a layer of anything that covers a surface.

   That wall needs another coat of paint.

4. a mucous layer covering or lining an organ or connected parts, as on the tongue.

5. coat of arms.

6. Archaic. a petticoat or skirt.

7. Obsolete.

   1. a garment indicating profession, class, etc.

   2. the profession, class, etc., so indicated.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cover with a layer or coating: The furniture was coated with dust.

   He coated the wall with paint.

   The furniture was coated with dust.

   Synonyms:

   encrust, smear, lay

2. to cover thickly, especially with a viscous fluid or substance.

   Heat the mixture until it coats a spoon. The boy was coated with mud from head to foot.

3. to cover or provide with a coat.

coat British  

/ kəʊt /

noun

1. an outdoor garment with sleeves, covering the body from the shoulder to waist, knee, or foot

2. any similar garment, esp one forming the top to a suit

3. a layer that covers or conceals a surface

   a coat of dust

4. the hair, wool, or fur of an animal

5. short for coat of arms

6. in disfavour

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verb

1. to cover (with) a layer or covering

2. (tr) to provide with a coat

Other Word Forms

• coater noun
• coatless adjective
• recoat verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of coat

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English cote, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Germanic; compare German Kotze, Old Saxon cott “woolen coat”

Example Sentences

It’s where I nailed a pivotal job interview, one that somehow ended with me falling head over heels into a condo’s indoor swimming pool while wearing my winter coat.

From Los Angeles Times

The findings may help scientists develop new plasma-based methods for producing nanoparticles with specific properties for use in electronics, surface coatings, and quantum technologies.

From Science Daily

It’s warm and hearty and immediately satisfying, the thing you want the moment you shrug off your coat and kick your boots into a corner.

From Salon

She trims their toenails with a repurposed woodworking tool, styles their fur with a $600 dog blow dryer and clips their coats with $1,000 scissors.

From The Wall Street Journal

So Yulia now lives in a long, quilted coat and hat in her flat, and rests her feet on a saucepan-full of hot water to keep them from freezing.

From BBC

Related Words

• cloak
• frock
• jacket
• overcoat
• raincoat
• suit
• tuxedo
• windbreaker
• wrap