spencer

/'spensə/

Thân thiện

A spencer is a type of short jacket worn in the 19th century.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A short, close-fitting jacket, typically made of wool: A "spencer" is a type of garment, historically a short, waist-length jacket or bodice, often worn by women in the early 19th century.
   • A surname; specifically, Herbert Spencer: "Spencer" is also a common English surname. In academic contexts, it most famously refers to the philosopher and sociologist Herbert Spencer.

Usage Examples

• Noun (Garment):

  • She wore a fashionable spencer over her dress to keep warm.
  • The Regency-era portrait shows the lady in a blue spencer.

• Noun (Proper Name):

  • Herbert Spencer was a prominent thinker of the Victorian era.
  • The Spencer family has lived in this county for generations.

Advanced Usage

• "Spencerian": Pertaining to the ideas or style of Herbert Spencer.
  • The essay discussed Spencerian theories of social evolution.

Variants and Related Words

• Spencer jacket: Another term for the garment.
  • The costume department sourced an authentic Spencer jacket for the film.

Synonyms

• Jacket: A general term for a short coat.
• Bolero: A similar short, open jacket.

Different Meanings

• The word "spencer" has two distinct primary meanings: one is a historical item of clothing, and the other is a proper noun (a surname). The context makes the intended meaning clear.

Idioms

Học thuật

Noun

1. English philosopher and sociologist who applied the theory of natural selection to human societies (1820-1903)

Từ đồng nghĩa

• Spencer
• Herbert Spencer