What does greatcoat mean?
A greatcoat is a long, substantial coat intended for outdoor wear, and the word is especially associated with military uniform. In contemporary English it is more specific than coat: it suggests a heavy, often double-breasted garment, while historical and literary uses can also evoke formal civilian dress, travel, and severe weather. A soldier might button a greatcoat before guard duty, and a novelist might describe someone arriving in a greatcoat at a station or government building. The term carries a formal, traditional, and slightly old-fashioned tone in everyday civilian use, so an ordinary raincoat is not normally called a greatcoat. Its interest lies partly in this combination of practical protection and social or military associations: the garment keeps out the weather, but its appearance can also signal rank, duty, discipline, or period. In that way, greatcoat is both an item of clothing and a compact piece of cultural history.
nounA greatcoat is a long, heavy coat intended for outdoor wear, especially a military overcoat or a coat worn as formal outerwear.
- A long, heavy military overcoat, typically part of a uniform.
- A long, formal or ceremonial coat worn as outerwear.
"He buttoned his greatcoat against the sleet and hurried toward the station."
"The officer's greatcoat was damp with rain when he returned from patrol."
"She hung her greatcoat in the hall before joining the guests for dinner."
The standard plural is greatcoats.
"Several greatcoats hung on the hooks by the entrance."
In military stories, a greatcoat is never merely a coat—it is shorthand for duty, rank, and cold mornings.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does greatcoat come from?
The compound is English, formed from great and coat during the early modern period. Coat comes through Old French cote from Latin cotta, a garment or covering; related English forms include coatee, cote, and coating. The compound's early sense referred to a large or full-length coat, while its military association later became especially prominent.
How greatcoat is actually used
The term is somewhat old-fashioned and formal in general civilian use. In modern English it is especially associated with military contexts and historical descriptions of dress.
Easily confused with greatcoat
An overcoat is any coat worn over other clothing, whereas a greatcoat is more specific, usually long, heavy, and often military or formal.