reefer

[ ree-fer ]

See synonyms for reefer on Thesaurus.com

noun

Nautical. a person who reefs.
a short, close-fitting coat or jacket of thick cloth, similar to a pea jacket.

a woman's tailored, fitted, single- or double-breasted coat of durable material with a collar.

Origin of reefer

First recorded in 1800–10; reef² + -er¹

Words Nearby reefer

Other definitions for reefer (2 of 3)

reefer²

[ ree-fer ]

nounSlang.

a marijuana cigarette.

Origin of reefer

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25; origin uncertain; possibly from Mexican Spanish slang grifo, grifa “under the influence of marijuana”; see origin at griefo

Other definitions for reefer (3 of 3)

reefer³

[ ree-fer ]

nounInformal.

a refrigerator, especially one large enough to be walked into.
a refrigerator car, ship, truck, etc.

Origin of reefer

An Americanism dating back to 1910–15; alteration and shortening of refrigerator

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use reefer in a sentence

“We were taught with reefer Madness that it was a hard-core drug and we should veer away from it,” she says.
Ganjapreneurs Line Up to Get Florida High | Abby Haglage | July 30, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Hemp, too close to reefer madness for comfort, was one of them.
Kentucky Tells Feds: Hands Off Our Hemp! | Abby Haglage | May 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Armstrong told Harold that reefer was "medicine for headaches, toothaches, and the blues," advice Conrad took to heart.
The Stacks: Harold Conrad Was Many Things, But He Was Never, Ever Dull | Mark Jacobson | March 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Kevin Murphy wrote the lyrics; he also wrote reefer Madness.
Interview: Kristen Bell, Voiceover Queen, On ‘Frozen,’ ‘Veronica Mars,’ & More | Andrew Romano | December 18, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST
University of Colorado cracks down on 4/20 reefer madness, but a few students still manage to party.
No Rocky Mountain High in Boulder, Colorado | Annie Melton | April 21, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST

Rapidly he removed his reefer and his waistcoat, folded them, and placed them neatly beside his overall.
Dope | Sax Rohmer
One day he asked the girls if they had met one active young reefer, who happened to belong to a distinguished family.
Napoleon's Young Neighbor | Helen Leah Reed
The nobles are worked up in their ship, as well as the humblest reefer of them all.
The Two Admirals | J. Fenimore Cooper
She gave no sign; helped her sister into the heavy reefer, and made herself comfortable in turn.
The Pillar of Light | Louis Tracy
The little girl she stripped with her own hands and clothed her in one of Brand's flannel shirts and a commandeered reefer jacket.
The Pillar of Light | Louis Tracy

British Dictionary definitions for reefer (1 of 2)

reefer¹

/ (ˈriːfə) /

noun

nautical a person who reefs, such as a midshipman
another name for reefing jacket

slang a hand-rolled cigarette, esp one containing cannabis

Origin of reefer

C19: from reef ²; applied to the cigarette because of its resemblance to the rolled reef of a sail

British Dictionary definitions for reefer (2 of 2)

reefer²

/ (ˈriːfə) /

noun

a ship, lorry, or other form of transport designed to carry refrigerated cargo

Origin of reefer

C20: shortened and adapted from refrigerator

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

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