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sou'wester

American  
[sou-wes-ter] / ˌsaʊˈwɛs tər /

noun

  1. a waterproof hat, often of oilskin, having the brim very broad behind and slanted, worn especially by seamen.

  2. an oilskin slicker, fastening with buckles, worn especially by seamen in rough weather.

  3. contraction of southwester.


sou'wester British  
/ saʊˈwɛstə /

noun

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

"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 sou'wester

First recorded in 1830–40; reduced form of southwester

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.

See Examples For:

When it comes to reassuring train bears, alas, it’s hard to top Paddington and his red sou’wester.

From New York Times May 20, 2022

The heat scorched Lyra’s face, and Brabandt tilted his sou’wester against it.

From Slate Jun. 10, 2019

Brabandt sheltered his eyes with the brim of his sou’wester and peered up too, and Lyra followed their example.

From Slate Jun. 10, 2019

Seaport frets over Moonies Hard by the harbor's edge in the venerable Massachusetts fishing port of Gloucester stands the bronze statue of a fisherman, dressed in slicker and sou'wester hat and clutching a schooner's wheel.

From Time Magazine Archive

He leaned to the right, trying to see round the canopy, trying to keep the brim of his sou’wester out of his eyes, trying to make out anything in the teeming murk.

From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman

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