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definitions

sou'wester

[ sou-wes-ter ]
/ ˌsaʊˈwɛs tər /
|

noun

a waterproof hat, often of oilskin, having the brim very broad behind and slanted, worn especially by seamen.
an oilskin slicker, fastening with buckles, worn especially by seamen in rough weather.
southwester(def 1).

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Nearby words

sottishly, sotto voce, sotu, sou, sou marqué, sou'wester, sou-sou, sou., souari nut, soubise, soubresaut

Origin of sou'wester

First recorded in 1830–40; reduced form of southwester
Also called nor'wester (for defs 1, 2).
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for sou'wester

  • Occasionally applied to those men who cleanse the sewers, and who wear great boots and sou-wester hats.

    The Slang Dictionary|John Camden Hotten

  • Dead south-west for a miracle—cant go a step down the Channel in a sou-wester!

    The House on the Moor, v. 2/3|Mrs. Oliphant

British Dictionary definitions for sou'wester

sou'wester

/ (saʊˈwɛstə) /

noun

a waterproof hat having a very broad rim behind, worn esp by seamen

Word Origin for sou'wester

C19: a contraction of southwester
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