a short, close-fitting jacket, frequently trimmed with fur, worn in the 19th century by women and children.
a man's close-fitting jacket, having a collar and lapels and reaching just below the waist, worn in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
an English wig of the 18th century.
Charles, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, 1674–1722, British statesman: prime minister 1718–21.
Herbert, 1820–1903, English philosopher.
Platt Rogers 1800–64, U.S. calligrapher and teacher of penmanship.
a town in NW Iowa.
a town in central Massachusetts.
a male given name.
Herbert. 1820–1903, English philosopher, who applied evolutionary theory to the study of society, favouring laissez-faire doctrines
Sir Stanley. 1891–1959, English painter, noted esp for his paintings of Christ in a contemporary English setting
a short fitted coat or jacket
a woman's knitted vest
1740–50; spencer 1 in defs. 1, 2 named after G. J. Spencer (1758–1834), English earl; spencer 1 in def. 3 named after Charles Spencer
First recorded in 1830–40; origin uncertain
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mother made a spencer of hers, and when it was worn out kept enough for this needle-book.
From Silver Pitchers: and Independence A Centennial Love Story by Alcott, Louisa May
Yes, the faded and unknown hue of the substantial brocade, the skimpiness of the satin, the quaint devices in piping-cord and feather-stitch—must assuredly have been coeval with that good woman's famous hat and spencer.
From Vixen, Volume II. by Braddon, M. E. (Mary Elizabeth)
The muslin Canezon spencer, the silk fichu, and even the lighter barêge, are frequently the sole additions to a high dress, or even to one but partially so.
From English Costume by Calthrop, Dion Clayton
The stack and mainstays may have made the fore spencer sail a nuisance, so it may not have been set while the vessel had her engine.
From The Pioneer Steamship Savannah: A Study for a Scale Model United States National Museum Bulletin 228, 1961, pages 61-80 by Chapelle, Howard I. (Howard Irving)
Describe the anatomical difference between a peacoat, a spencer, and a Taglioni, and also state who gave the best “prish” for old ones.
From Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 1, August 14, 1841 by Various
Once money is sent, “there’s just nothing I can do to help them,” Spencer said, recalling a time something similar happened to one of her clients.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
Research published by Spencer Stuart in 2020 showed that, while nearly all of the experienced CEOs outperformed the market in their first role, only about 40% managed to do the same in subsequent positions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
This exact problem arose in the recent first round of the Los Angeles mayoral race, where markets had predicted much greater success for Spencer Pratt than he actually achieved.
From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026
A Fury lookalike briefly fooled reporters when he stepped out of a taxi, while Fury's manager Spencer Brown insisted the 'Gypsy King' would be "there in spirit".
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
Even Mr. Spencer, our quiet neighbor, donated a check for fifteen dollars.
From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas
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.
