waistcoat

[wes-kuht, weyst-koht]

noun

1. Chiefly British.,  vest.

2. an 18th-century garment for women that is similar to a man's vest, usually worn with a riding habit.

3. a man's body garment, often quilted and embroidered and having sleeves, worn under the doublet in the 16th and 17th centuries.

waistcoat

/ ˈweɪsˌkəʊt /

noun

1. US, Canadian, and Austral name: vest. a sleeveless waist-length garment with buttons at the front, often worn under a suit jacket

2. a man's garment worn under a doublet in the 16th century

Other Word Forms

• waistcoated adjective
• underwaistcoat noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of waistcoat¹

First recorded in 1510–20; waist + coat

Example Sentences

He wore the green waistcoat that marked him as the master of hounds.

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Asked why he wore an old-fashioned waistcoat and a fedora to the museum, Pedro said he began dressing this way recently, inspired by 20th-century statesmen and fictional detectives.

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The "Amelia" glasses include a camera and built-in display, and pairs with a waistcoat with a button drivers can press to take photos of deliveries.

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It's the show that has become synonymous with flat caps, waistcoats and tweed suits, but 12 years on since Peaky Blinders first aired its influence continues to run through the West Midlands.

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However, one independent fashion house in Croydon has become the home of West End and on-screen fashion, from the waistcoats and dresses in Hamilton to the costumes for Wicked's Shiz dancers.

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