reefer

1
[ ree-fer ]
See synonyms for reefer on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. Nautical. a person who reefs.

  2. a short, close-fitting coat or jacket of thick cloth, similar to a pea jacket.

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

Origin of reefer

1
First recorded in 1800–10; reef2 + -er1

Words Nearby reefer

Other definitions for reefer (2 of 3)

reefer2
[ ree-fer ]

nounSlang.
  1. a marijuana cigarette.

Origin of reefer

2
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.
  1. a refrigerator, especially one large enough to be walked into.

  2. a refrigerator car, ship, truck, etc.

Origin of reefer

3
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

  • 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
  1. nautical a person who reefs, such as a midshipman

  2. another name for reefing jacket

  1. slang a hand-rolled cigarette, esp one containing cannabis

Origin of reefer

1
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
  1. a ship, lorry, or other form of transport designed to carry refrigerated cargo

Origin of reefer

2
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