waistcoat
waistcoat Lexical Profile
waistcoat Game Scores & Validity
• noun
British A sleeveless, button-down garment worn over a shirt and under a jacket, traditionally forming the third piece of a three-piece suit.
"He completed his formal wedding attire with a tailored silk waistcoat and a silver pocket watch."
A historically fashioned warm undergarment or a woman's tailored bodice worn as an outer garment during the 18th and 19th centuries.
"The museum exhibit featured an elaborately embroidered 18th-century ladies' waistcoat."
Word Nuance & Usage
In British English, a 'waistcoat' refers to the formal sleeveless garment worn under a jacket; in American English, this exact garment is almost exclusively called a 'vest'.
Word Origin & Etymology
Derived from 'waist' + 'coat' in the late 16th century. It originally referred to a coat cut at waist length. The garment was famously popularized in English court dress by King Charles II in 1666.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.