Reefers

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of trailer or container refrigerated to transport perishable goods
2. a slang term for marijuana cigarettes often used in informal contexts
3. a style of garment, typically a light coat or jacket, worn for warmth or fashion purposes

Etymology: "Reefers" is the plural of "reefer," and the word has two unrelated histories that happen to meet in a shipping yard. The sense of a refrigerated container is a clipping of "refrigerator," shortened to the first syllables and given the common "-er" ending. The shipping sense is the one most readers will meet today, and it is a modern piece of trade slang rather than an old nautical term. The older and more colourful meaning belongs to cannabis. The word is first attested in the 1920s. The sailing image is appealing, but the origin remains unproven, so the Spanish link is the more plausible-sounding option that cannot be fully confirmed.

Synonyms: refrigerated containers, chillers, coolers, freezers, refrigerators