flak jacket

American

noun

U.S. Air Force. an armored garment made of steel plates covered by a padded fabric, designed to protect vital parts of the body from shrapnel.
a protective vest, especially one that is bulletproof.

flak jacket British

noun

a reinforced sleeveless jacket for protection against gunfire or shrapnel worn by soldiers, policemen, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of flak jacket

First recorded in 1955–60

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.

Wine, who has been repeatedly arrested in the past, campaigned in a flak jacket, saying the race has become a "war".

From Barron's • Jan. 12, 2026

His office issued photos afterwards showing him in a helmet and flak jacket meeting soldiers and commanders.

From Reuters • Nov. 27, 2023

Shortly before Abdallah was killed, he posted on Instagram a picture of himself wearing a helmet and a flak jacket with the word "press" written on it.

From BBC • Nov. 7, 2023

He reportedly was wearing a flak jacket with “press” on it.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 25, 2023

That his controller wasn't a rifle and his raggedy family-reunion T-shirt wasn't a flak jacket.

From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023