peacoat
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of peacoat
1780–90, pea ( see pea jacket) + coat
Explanation
A peacoat is a heavy wool, double-breasted jacket. Peacoats were originally worn by European and then American sailors, but now they're a fashion staple in the winter for both men and women. Peacoats were great for protecting sailors from the brutal cold they often encountered on the high seas. The peacoat's wide collar could be flipped up for wind protection, and the dual rows of buttons ensured that the coat stayed securely closed. Today, peacoats are an optional, not standard, part of a U.S. sailor's uniform, but they're still popular with anyone who wants to look stylish while staying warm. The name peacoat may have come from the Dutch pijjekker, "jacket of coarse woolen cloth," or from pilot cloth, also called P-cloth, a waterproof material used in the U.S. Navy.
Vocabulary lists containing peacoat
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.
In her first run of this "You've Got Mail" tour with real guests, she's dressed in a red peacoat with a dozen red roses in her tote bag.
From Salon • Dec. 25, 2023
Long-term fans of the show have become accustomed to DI Perez's famous peacoat.
From BBC • Jun. 15, 2023
One look had a denim knee-length skirt paired with a navy wool peacoat with a shearling collar.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 14, 2023
Anna wore a black peacoat over a matching black dress.
From Fox News • Dec. 9, 2021
He put on his sweater, wool pants, hat, and blue peacoat.
From "The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother" by James McBride
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.
