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sports coat

sports coat

2 3.2
A lightweight jacket for smart casual occasions, often with one row of buttons
  • noun
  • /spɔrts koʊt/
  • US
translation icon : chaqueta deportiva
  • I couldn't see their faces, but they were both heavyset, middle-aged men dressed in polyester slacks and sports coats and carrying Racing Forms, programs, and binoculars.
  • wore a sports coat
  • a red sports coat
  • own a sports coat

I'm out for a leather, a little brown, a little brown sports coat with a shirt and tie.

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Examples

  • For the wedding, she chose a light gray sports coat to match her dress.

  • I'm out for a leather, a little brown, a little brown sports coat with a shirt and tie.

  • You can wear a sports coat, but you're not going like that.

  • Men switched from suits to sports coats and women got bobs and put on beaded dresses.

  • Men switched from suits to sports coats, and women got bobs and put on beaded dresses.

  • He wore a stylish sports coat to the dinner party, which made him look quite dapper.

  • At the charity event, many guests arrived in colorful sports coats that showcased their school pride.

Synonyms

jacket
vssports coat
1.0

A short coat that reaches the waist or hips and fastens at the front

is a specific lightweight informal garment often patterned not any short coat
coat
vssports coat
957 1.0

A warm piece of clothing with sleeves worn outside

is a lighter style focused piece worn informally and showing club colors
blazer
vssports coat
52 2.5

A smart light jacket people often wear with uniforms or for smart casual events

is less a uniform piece and more an informal item showing club colors
sport coat
vssports coat
  • US
8 3.4

A light men's jacket not part of a suit, often with patterns

is similar but used by any gender and often shows club stripes
sport jacket
vssports coat
  • US
2 3.2

A lightweight jacket people wear with casual or smart clothes, often patterned

is mainly informal and often linked to club or school colors
sports jacket
vssports coat
1 2.9

A light smart coat often in bold colors for casual wear

is more strictly informal and linked to club or school stripes
single-breasted jacket
vssports coat
3.3

A jacket with one row of buttons and a front that overlaps slightly

focuses on informal wear and club stripes rather than only button design

How Formal

tuxedo
  • US
80 3.0
suit
1.0
jacket
1.0
blazer
52 2.5
sports coat
  • US
2 3.2

Surface Forms

sports coat singular
sports coats plural

Morphology

sport + coat

The meaning 'a lightweight, informal jacket associated with sporting or casual use' is directly derivable from combining 'sport' (related to sporting activity) with 'coat' (an outer garment); it denotes a type of coat connected to sport contexts. This noun+noun composition is a common, compositional pattern with clear cross-linguistic equivalents (e.g. chaqueta deportiva, veste de sport), so a B1 learner who knows both words will likely infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Sports coat comes from the lightweight coat people wore for outdoor sports like hunting and riding, so it was less formal and made for easy movement. That's why today sports coats mean a light jacket you wear for 'smart-casual' or 'informal' occasions.