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sport coat

sport coat

8 3.4
A light men's jacket not part of a suit, often with patterns
  • noun
  • /spɔrt koʊt/
  • US
translation icon : chaqueta deportiva
  • He wore a stylish sport coat to the dinner party, impressing all the guests.
  • a sport coat over a shirt
  • wear a sport coat
  • sport coat and slacks

He's got his sports coat slung over his shoulder, got his tie undone.

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Examples

  • Savannah drove fast, the wind in her hair, and Laurence huddled inside his lightweight sports coat.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • Charlie is dressed very sharply in a sport coat and tie.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Now, what about the blue sport coat you never wear?

  • Uh, um, do you know that blue sport coat that I never wear?

  • I rose from my chair and put on my sport coat.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Before leaving Myrtle Beach, I owned a madras sport coat but no tie.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Today he wore a gray-blue sport coat over a royal-blue dress shirt, stonewashed jeans, and cowboy boots.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • For casual events, a sport coat paired with trousers is often preferred over a suit.

  • The fashion show featured models showcasing various sport coats in vibrant colors and patterns.

Synonyms

jacket
vssport coat
1.0

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

is a specific men's single-breasted patterned non-suit garment
blazer
vssport coat
52 2.5

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

is a men's non-suit garment generally not used as a uniform
sport jacket
vssport coat
  • US
2 3.2

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

is a men's non-suit garment used broadly rather than for formal events
sports coat
vssport coat
  • US
2 3.2

A lightweight jacket for smart casual occasions, often with one row of buttons

is a men's non-suit garment not tied to club or school identity
sports jacket
vssport coat
1 2.9

A light smart coat often in bold colors for casual wear

is a men's non-suit garment used in varied informal settings
single-breasted jacket
vssport coat
3.3

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

is a men's patterned non-suit garment rather than only a construction type

How Formal

suit
1.0
blazer
52 2.5
sport coat
  • US
8 3.4
polo shirt
9 1.4
T-shirt
400 1.0

Surface Forms

sport coat singular
sport coats plural

Morphology

sport + coat

The compound is compositional: 'coat' names the garment and 'sport' (here attributive) signals a casual or athletic style, so a learner who knows both words can infer it is a type of casual/lightweight jacket. Although 'sport' can have other senses (e.g. the verb 'to sport'), the attributive use to mark a style is common cross-linguistically and follows regular English noun-modifier patterns, making the meaning accessible to B1 learners.

Etymology

The name sport coat comes from jackets men wore for outdoor sports like hunting and shooting, where the coat was a sturdier, patterned jacket made for movement rather than a matching suit. That's why today a sport coat means a smart, separate jacket — a 'casual jacket' 'not part of a suit'.