What does jacket mean?
A jacket is a short piece of clothing worn over the upper body, usually with sleeves and a fastening at the front. It may be made from leather, denim, wool, or weather-resistant fabric and may serve as ordinary outdoor clothing, formal evening wear, or protective equipment. The word also has several non-clothing senses: it can denote a cover placed around a book, a casing surrounding a machine or pipe, and, in British English, a formal evening coat. The related verb “to jacket” means to enclose or protect something with a suitable outer covering, although this use is relatively uncommon in everyday speech. In general usage, “jacket” is more specific than “coat,” often suggesting a lighter garment that reaches roughly to the waist or hips, though this distinction is not absolute. Its range of uses makes it a familiar word with both literal and technical applications.
A short garment worn over the upper body, typically with sleeves and a front fastening; also, a removable outer covering or protective casing for a book, machine, or other object.
"He hung his wet jacket by the door."
The term is used across Britain and North America. “Dinner jacket” and “drink jacket” are formal British expressions for evening coats.
To cover, enclose, or protect something with a jacket or outer casing.
"Engineers jacketed the pipes with insulating material."
This is a specialized and comparatively uncommon verb, especially outside technical or industrial contexts.
The ordinary plural is “jackets.” The singular form is also used attributively in expressions such as “jacket pocket” and “life jacket.”
"The shop sells coats, jackets, and hats for winter."
The same word can name a garment you wear, a cover around a book, or the protective casing around a machine.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does jacket come from?
The word entered Middle English from Old French jaquet, a diminutive of jaque meaning a coat or garment. The French word ultimately has connections with Arabic vocabulary for clothing, although the precise historical transmission is not entirely straightforward. The name developed through several languages and garment forms before becoming the established English term for a short upper-body coat and, later, for protective or decorative coverings.
Related word forms
How jacket is actually used
In British English, “dinner jacket” and “drink jacket” are formal evening garments. Outside clothing and protective-equipment contexts, “jacket” is informal in British English but is also the standard everyday term in American English. The verb is much less common than the noun.