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
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.
“A good pair of denim and a linen blazer over that would be really cute. Whites also look good with clay.”
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 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
I imagine the A.I. bot like a child playing dress-up, donning an oversized blazer and glasses for a game of “businessman.”
From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026
It’s the second time Hernández has played the comedian, whose caricature of Maniscalco in a red blazer and black turtleneck is at turns spot on, exaggerated and completely hilarious.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2026
She has a gold pin on her perfectly ironed blazer, in honor of the current tournament season, and a clipboard tucked under one arm.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
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.
