parka

American  

[pahr-kuh] / ˈpɑr kə /

noun

1. a fur coat, shirtlike and hooded, for wear in the Arctic and other regions of extreme cold.

2. a hip-length jacket or overshirt with an attached hood, often of wool or of a windproof, water-repellent material lined or trimmed with wool, used by skiers, hunters, the military, etc.

3. any coat or jacket with a hood, as a hooded raincoat or windbreaker.

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parka British  

/ ˈpɑːkə /

noun

1. a warm hip-length weatherproof coat with a hood, originally worn by the Inuit

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Etymology

Origin of parka

First recorded in 1770–80; from Aleut or Yupik or directly from dialectal Russian párka, from Komi or directly from Nenets

Explanation

A parka is an insulated, waterproof coat with a hood. Before you head out on a winter camping trip in Canada, you'll want to make sure your parka is warm enough. Parkas are designed to block the wind and keep you warm — they are often lined with fur or another plush, cozy material. The earliest version of the parka was invented by Canadian Inuits, using caribou or seal skin and fur, and coated with fish oil to make it waterproof. Parka is an Aleut word that means "animal skins," and it's also used in Russian to mean "a jacket made from a pelt."

Example Sentences

The Anchorage Daily News reports that 24-year-old Becca White and 22-year-old Isaiah Parka died early Sunday in the blaze.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 30, 2019

Parka maker Canada Goose has also been affected, announcing it's putting off the planned opening of its first store in China amidst public anger at Ms Meng's arrest.

From BBC • Dec. 19, 2018

The simple red patch is something that can easily be replicated- and it’s noteworthy Supreme made a field Parka, not a vest.

From The New Yorker • Jun. 1, 2017

Canada Goose, whose “Arctic luxury apparel” is worn by scientists at the South Pole, offers a “Kensington” Parka priced at £850.

From The Guardian • Mar. 7, 2017

They will eat food cooked with water from Lodhis, many of whom are landowners in Jubbulpore, and as such no doubt stand to the Parka in the relation of employer to servant.

From The Tribes and Castes of the Central Provinces of India—Volume I (of IV) by Russell, R. V. (Robert Vane)

Related Words

• coat
• fur
• sheath
• tunic