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shipwrecky outfit

shipwrecky outfit

9.9
Clothes that look messy, torn, and dirty from rough travel
  • noun
  • /ˈʃɪpˌrɛki ˈaʊtfɪt/
  • Informal
translation icon : atuendo desaliñado
  • She wore a shipwrecky outfit that looked like it had been through every storm imaginable.

Examples

  • She showed up to the brunch in a shipwrecky outfit, turning heads with her unconventional look.

  • Despite her shipwrecky outfit, she radiated confidence wherever she went.

  • After traveling for two days, his shipwrecky outfit seemed appropriate for the adventure.

  • Her shipwrecky outfit was the talk of the party.

  • Why did you wear that shipwrecky outfit today?

  • His shipwrecky outfit gave off a carefree vibe, perfect for a day at the beach.

  • The shipwrecky outfit he chose for the festival made him stand out from the crowd.

Antonyms

A neat, slightly dressy set of clothes for a not very formal event

How Messy

shipwrecky outfit
  • Informal
9.9
bedraggled
4 7.0
scruffy
23 3.8

Surface Forms

Morphology

shipwrecky + outfit

The adjective 'shipwrecky' appears to be a nonce formation from 'shipwreck' + adjectival '-y', so a learner who knows 'shipwreck' can plausibly infer 'like a shipwreck' (damaged, ruined). Paired with 'outfit' this yields 'an outfit that looks wrecked or dishevelled', but the rare coinage and the need to recognise the suffixal derivation and metaphorical extension make the meaning only partly predictable for a B1 learner.

Etymology

The noun shipwrecky outfit comes from the image of a shipwreck, with clothes wet, torn, and messy, so the phrase describes an outfit that looks 'disheveled' or 'as if it has been through rough conditions'.