Blazer

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbleɪzə/

Definitions

1. A type of lightweight jacket, usually single-breasted and often featuring metal buttons, worn for semi-formal events or sports clubs
2. A smart-casual coat, frequently part of a uniform or representing a team, made from durable fabric and designed for comfort and style
3. A tailored outer garment typically worn in upscale casual or business settings, characterized by structured design and distinct lapels, often paired with trousers or skirts

Etymology: The jacket's name has nothing to do with fire in its modern sense. "Blazer" comes from "blaze," a verb meaning to shine or send forth bright light, and the "-er" ending marks something that performs that action. The verb itself grew from the older noun "blaze," meaning a flame or torch, which descends from a Proto-Germanic word for a torch. So the root idea is brightness. The jacket connection is a separate line of descent. In the source, one Middle English strand is "blasen," meaning to inscribe with armorial bearings, which came from Old French "blason," a shield bearing a coat of arms. Someone who blazoned coats of arms was called a "blaseyr," and the same root ran through the verb "to blazon." Those meanings of display and conspicuousness are the ones that eventually fit a garment built to be seen. The clothing sense itself is a relatively recent development, and the source does not give a firm date or first use for it, so the bright, showy flavour of the word is the most reliable thread connecting the flame to the jacket.

Synonyms: jacket, coat

Antonyms: t-shirt