blazer
Americannoun
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something that blazes or shines brightly.
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a sports jacket, usually a solid color or striped, having metal buttons and sometimes an insignia on the breast pocket, as one worn by a member of a club, school, or the like.
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a small cooking apparatus using as its source of heat a spirit lamp, hot coals, etc., used especially for preparing food at the table or outdoors.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of blazer
late Middle English word dating back to 1400–50; see origin at blaze 1, -er 1
Compare meaning
How does blazer compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
A blazer is a jacket that is not as formal as a suit coat, but more formal than a cardigan. If you specify a business casual dress code on your party invitation, many people will show up wearing blazers. Another name for a blazer is a sports jacket or sport coat. Traditionally, blazers are made of wool or linen. While they come in various colors, a navy blazer is classic. This item of clothing is considered to be a little bit dressy, but not formal like a suit, tuxedo, or evening gown. The word blazer was originally used in colloquial American English for "attention-attracting thing." In late 19th-century British university slang, it came to mean "bright red flannel jacket."
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.
When Juror No. 5 showed up in a navy blazer, Laurey Trailer, who later became forewoman, got annoyed.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 20, 2026
The tool has a face and a name: Sky, an AI avatar that appears as a woman with short hair and a blazer in its first iteration.
From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026
The only flash of color was her green V-neck union T-shirt, the logo peeking out of a black blazer.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2026
He cut a distinctive figure in the music videos with his trademark square black sunglasses, a black blazer and black trousers.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
Mop and I shook our heads and waited for Bren to put the glasses into his blazer pocket before going to the lounge area to greet the rest of the family.
From "The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora" by Pablo Cartaya
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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.