Raincoats

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of waterproof garment worn to protect the body from rain, combining functionality with style in various designs and colors
2. A rain-resistant outerwear item designed to keep the wearer dry during wet weather, often featuring hoods and adjustable closures
3. An article of clothing specifically made to shield individuals from precipitation, typically crafted from materials that repel moisture and are comfortable to wear

Etymology: "Raincoats" is simply the plural of "raincoat," a garment whose name is a plain compound of two very old English words. "Rain" descends from Old English "regn," traceable back through Proto-Germanic to a Proto-Indo-European root, while "coat" arrived by a longer route: a Proto-Germanic word for a tunic-like garment passed into Latin as "cotta," then into Old French as "cote," and reached Middle English as "cote" before becoming the modern "coat." The two halves therefore have very different histories. "Coat" is a borrowing that travelled through Romance languages before English took it, while "rain" is native English, with cognates across the Germanic family. Joined together, they describe a coat whose job is to keep off the weather.

Synonyms: waterproof coats, slickers

Antonyms: sweaters, jackets