Raincoat

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈɹeɪnkoʊt/

Definitions

1. An outerwear item crafted from water-resistant fabric, intended to shield the body from wet weather while preserving the wearer's comfort and warmth
2. A waterproof garment designed to be worn over regular clothing for protection against rain and other forms of precipitation during inclement weather
3. A type of waterproof clothing that is worn over other attire to keep the body dry and comfortable in wet conditions caused by rainfall or other moisture

Etymology: The word is a plain compound: "rain" joined to "coat," with no hidden twist in its making. The sense of "coat" traces back a long way, through Middle English "cote," which came from Old French "cotte," a tunic or garment, and before that from Latin "cotta," a coat or tunic. Both halves are old native or long-absorbed material, so the compound itself is far more recent than its parts. "Rain" is the older and more deeply rooted half. It descends from Old English "regn," and behind that lies a Proto-Germanic form "regnąz," with ancestry reaching back to a reconstructed Proto-Indo-European root. Its Middle English form "reyn" shows the same steady line of descent into the modern spelling. Put together, "rain" and "coat" describe exactly what the garment does: a coat meant to keep off the wet. The combination needed no special invention, just two everyday words placed side by side.

Synonyms: waterproof coat, slicker, macintosh, poncho, overcoat

Antonyms: sweater, jacket, parka, cloak, cardigan