Coatrack

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A piece of furniture specifically made to support coats and outer garments while providing a designated space for hats or bags
2. A device used for the orderly arrangement of coats and other clothing items, offering a convenient place for storing outerwear
3. A furniture item designed to hold coats, jackets, and similar clothing, often equipped with hooks or a shelf for hats and bags

Etymology: The history of "coatrack" is as plain as its parts: a coat, and a rack on which to hang it. Each element is old and English in its own right. "Coat" came into English from Old French "cote", a tunic or outer garment, and "rack" comes from Middle English "rakke", a frame or shelf for holding things, probably related to a Dutch or Low German word for a framework. Joined together, the two words describe exactly what the object does: a stand with projecting hooks or arms on which outer garments are hung. The compound needs no metaphor or special sense to explain it, so the meaning has stayed close to the literal one since the two parts were first put side by side.

Synonyms: hatrack, clothes rack, cloak rack