shell jacket
- noun
- /ʃɛl ˈdʒækɪt/
:
chaqueta de gala
- A well-tailored shell jacket completed her historical reenactment outfit.
Examples
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Many antique shell jackets are collected by military enthusiasts.
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He wore a shell jacket to the formal dinner.
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The officer wore his shell jacket to the regimental dinner.
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The shell jackets were displayed at the military gala.
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At the formal dinner, the officer stood out in his elegant shell jacket with gold buttons.
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During the reenactment, he wore a vintage shell jacket that was reminiscent of military uniforms from the past.
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She admired the intricate embroidery on the back of his shell jacket as they entered the banquet hall.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A short coat that reaches the waist or hips and fastens at the front
Short jacket worn by military officers at formal dinners
A short formal jacket worn by navy officers at dinner
How Formal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The term is partly compositional: 'shell' evokes an outer/protective layer and 'jacket' denotes a short coat, so a B1 learner would likely infer it denotes a type of outer garment. However the specific waist-length, tapered, military/formal-dinner sense is specialized and not predictable from the constituents alone, so the expression is only partially transparent.
Etymology
Shell jacket may come from the idea of a 'shell' as a light outer cover, because soldiers wore a short, waist-length jacket that protected their uniform. That's why the name means a short, fitted military jacket often worn by officers at formal events.