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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate

waistcoat

WAYS-koht

Waistcoat (noun) means a sleeveless, collarless garment worn over a shirt and under a jacket, chiefly British. Example: “He completed his three-piece suit with a smart tweed waistcoat.”

noun
1
A sleeveless, collarless garment worn over a shirt and under a jacket, chiefly British.
"He completed his three-piece suit with a smart tweed waistcoat."

How to use waistcoat

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA sleeveless top layer, worn over a shirt and under a jacket — called a "vest" in American English.

UK vs US

British English "waistcoat" is American English "vest".

Easily confused with
Common pairings
tweed waistcoat three-piece suit with waistcoat

Word forms

waistcoats plural

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He completed his three-piece suit with a smart tweed _____.

Etymology

A compound of "waist" and "coat".

Related words

Rhymes for waistcoat

See all rhymes for waistcoat →

Frequently asked questions

What does “waistcoat” mean?

The word “waistcoat” means a sleeveless, collarless garment worn over a shirt and under a jacket, chiefly British. In plain terms, a sleeveless top layer, worn over a shirt and under a jacket — called a "vest" in American English.

How do you pronounce “waistcoat”?

“Waistcoat” is pronounced WAYS-koht (/ˈweɪs(t)kəʊt/ in IPA).

How do you use “waistcoat” in a sentence?

Here is “waistcoat” used in a sentence: “He completed his three-piece suit with a smart tweed waistcoat.”

What part of speech is “waistcoat”?

“Waistcoat” is a noun.

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