raincoat
Americannoun
-
raincoats
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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.
See Examples For:
"I've never had so much use for my umbrella in my life, and I carry my raincoat everywhere I go."
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2024
Later, she danced with a yellow raincoat over her head.
From New York Times ● Mar. 18, 2024
By the middle of the week, you’ll want to pack a raincoat.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 25, 2024
Gaunt men and “children, big-eyed and thin,” walked up and clutched the rabbi’s raincoat.
From Slate ● Jan. 28, 2024
His gaze went past the coat hook holding Shady’s raincoat, not noticing the two bare feet sticking out below.
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
Chinese authorities were sending additional disaster relief like food, raincoats and rubber boats to the region, state news agency Xinhua reported on Wednesday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 8, 2026
It is found in a wide range of items, including medical devices, toys, shower curtains, and raincoats.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 17, 2026
They slept under the open sky, but when a light drizzle fell, Ms Estalicas and her family wrapped themselves up in plastic bags because they did not have raincoats.
From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2025
Instead, put raincoats on those at whom the firehose is aimed.
From Salon ● May 27, 2025
The weather box on the front door sang quietly: “Rain, rain, go away; rubbers, raincoats for today . . .” And the rain tapped on the empty house, echoing.
From "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury
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.
