Dustcoat

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of coat designed primarily to protect clothing from dust and dirt accumulated in various environments
2. An outer apparel that serves the purpose of keeping clothes clean by preventing dirt and dust from adhering to them
3. An outer layer of clothing worn to shield other clothes from dust and grime

Etymology: "Dustcoat" is a plain compound: "dust" joined to "coat," with the second element naming the garment and the first naming what it guards against. The "dust" here is the ordinary English word for fine particles of ddirt, from Old English "dūst," and "coat" comes from Old French "cote," a tunic or outer garment, so the word simply describes a coat worn to keep dust off the clothes underneath. The combination follows a pattern English has used for centuries, where a noun such as "rain," "sun," or "dust" sits in front of a garment name to say what the garment protects against, as with "raincoat." Its meaning has stayed close to the literal sense, so the word needs no further twist to explain it.

Synonyms: dust cover, wrapper, protective cover, shroud, veil