raincoat
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of raincoat
Explanation
The waterproof jacket you throw on before heading out on a drizzly gray day is a raincoat. If you're traveling to India during monsoon season, be sure to pack your raincoat! Simply put, a raincoat is a coat that protects you from getting drenched in the rain. You might also call it a "slicker" or a "rain jacket." Some raincoats are truly waterproof, while others are merely water resistant — these will keep you dry for a while but are less useful if you're walking miles in a downpour. The original "modern" raincoat was invented in 1824 by a Scottish chemist who layered fabric and rubber to create a new waterproof material.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Like the transparent plastic umbrellas that later became her trademark on official engagements, this raincoat also allowed people to see the Queen's brightly-coloured dresses in all weathers.
From BBC • Dec. 26, 2025
The Colombian American soulstress has played many roles in her songs: a baddie, a psychic, a woman adrift at sea in a yellow raincoat.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025
Gaunt men and “children, big-eyed and thin,” walked up and clutched the rabbi’s raincoat.
From Slate • Jan. 28, 2024
Miner recommends a waterproof outer layer, like a raincoat, to keep the lower layers dry.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 19, 2024
“Any special occasions coming up?” she whispers, as if she were selling hot watches from a raincoat.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
