Coat

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /koʊt/

Definitions

1. A piece of clothing worn over other garments to provide warmth or protection from weather
2. An outerwear item that provides warmth or shields the body from the elements while also serving as a protective layer over other apparel
3. An article of apparel designed to cover and warm the torso while offering protection from environmental conditions and serving as a top layer over other outfits

Etymology: The garment you pull on against the cold has a surprisingly humble ancestry: its earliest roots point to rough woolen cloth rather than to any idea of covering or fitting. Its Proto-Germanic ancestor, "*kuttô," seems to have meant a woolen cloth or a cowl, and the same root turns up in German "Kotze," a coarse woollen blanket or cape, and in Middle Dutch "cote," a coat. The path into English ran through Latin and French. Latin "cotta" named an undercoat or tunic, and Old French borrowed it as "cote" or "cotte," meaning an outer garment with sleeves. Middle English took up the word as "cote" and "coate," and the sense of a garment worn over other clothing has held steady ever since. The word is related to Ancient Greek "beûdos," meaning woman's attire, which shows that the old Indo-European root behind it was tied to clothing made from wool.

Synonyms: jacket, overcoat, outerwear, cloak, wrap

Antonyms: bare, naked, exposed, unclothed, undraped