Definition

1. Noun:
   • A sleeveless garment, typically for men, worn over a shirt and under a suit jacket or coat. It is a formal or semi-formal item of clothing that buttons down the front.

Usage

• The primary function of a waistcoat is to provide a formal, layered look as part of a three-piece suit (jacket, trousers, and waistcoat). It is worn buttoned, with the bottom button traditionally left undone.

Examples

• Noun:
  • He looked very dapper in his three-piece suit, especially the patterned silk waistcoat.
  • For the wedding, the groom chose a classic black waistcoat to wear under his morning coat.
  • The antique waistcoat in the museum display was embroidered with intricate floral designs.

Advanced Usage

• "To be waistcoated": Describing someone who is wearing a waistcoat.
  • The waiters were all formally waistcoated for the evening's event.
• In historical or period contexts, a waistcoat can refer to a longer, more decorative garment worn by both men and women.

Variants and Related Words

• Vest (noun, primarily US English): The common American English term for a waistcoat.
  • He wore a bulletproof vest under his shirt. (Note: This illustrates a different, protective type of vest, not a formal waistcoat.)
• Doublet (noun, historical): A close-fitting jacket, often worn by men from the 14th to the 17th century, which is a precursor to the modern waistcoat.

Synonyms

• Vest (US English)
• Bodywarmer (when referring to a padded, sleeveless garment for warmth, though this is not a formal synonym)

Related Phrases

• Three-piece suit: A suit consisting of a jacket, trousers, and a matching waistcoat.
  • His three-piece suit, complete with a gold watch chain across the waistcoat, was impeccably tailored.
• Waistcoat pocket: A small pocket on the front of a waistcoat, often used for a pocket watch.
  • He kept his fob watch in his waistcoat pocket.

Noun

1. a man's sleeveless garment worn underneath a coat