coat

1 of 2

noun

often attributive
1
a
: an outer garment worn on the upper body and varying in length and style according to fashion and use
b
: something resembling a coat
2
: the external growth on an animal
3
: a layer of one substance covering another
a coat of paint
coated adjective
coatless adjective

coat

2 of 2

verb

coated; coating; coats

transitive verb

1
: to cover with a coat
2
: to cover or spread with a finishing, protecting, or enclosing layer
coater noun

Examples of coat in a Sentence

Noun She put on her coat, hat, and gloves, and then she went outside. He was wearing a coat and tie. The dog has a thick coat. The house needed three coats to cover the original paint. Verb Rock dust coated his hair. My shoes are coated with mud. Coat the chicken with flour.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The older man, blood seeping through his white T-shirt, pulls a gun from his coat and confronts both the younger man and the woman, who have moved to the far end of the subway car. Hurubie Meko, New York Times, 15 Mar. 2024 Applying a coat from classics like Sally Hensen, OPI, and ESSIE nail polish can give you a finish. Larry Stansbury, Essence, 15 Mar. 2024 Travelers heading some place warmer can leave their coats at the airport for $2 a day. David Clarey, Journal Sentinel, 14 Mar. 2024 Earlier this week, Gomez's bestie Nicola Peltz Beckham shared multiple photos of Gomez's bombshell look, complete with another little red dress and big red fur coat (somebody please do a wellness check on Clifford). Glamour, 14 Mar. 2024 In the end, none of them got it right, and Afghan Hound shed her coat to reveal reality TV and Chrisley Knows Best star Savannah Chrisley. Lauren Huff, EW.com, 13 Mar. 2024 Marcos Lugo’s body was found draped in a fur coat his mother had lent him to shield him from the early morning winter cold. Jose R. Gonzalez, The Arizona Republic, 10 Mar. 2024 Usher was clad in a white fur statement coat over a sleek black tuxedo. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024 Some were in leg warmers, colorful coats or being pushed in buggies. Kim Hjelmgaard, USA TODAY, 9 Mar. 2024
Verb
In Hallie's case, her small intestine, liver, colon, stomach and part of her bladder were encased in a grapefruit-sized, balloon-like ball coated by a thin membrane, just above where her belly button would be. Wendy Grossman Kantor, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 The fuel cell is a device through which air and hydrogen pass across plates coated in a platinum catalyst. Sam Abuelsamid, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Cyrus Mayer, a 29-year-old Ojai resident and landscaper, burst into the room wearing a kaffiyeh head scarf and coated in fake blood. Hailey Branson-Potts, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2024 Beef and pork meatloaf coated in mashed potatoes formed a locomotive with a wine cork chimney and biscuit wheels on jerky tracks. The Indianapolis Star, 27 Feb. 2024 Hong, a professor in Yonsei University’s Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, worked with colleagues to grow beef cells inside of rice grains coated in fish gelatin and familiar food-grade enzymes. Kelly Kasulis Cho, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 Stir vinaigrette and add enough of the dressing to nicely coat the lettuce, using all the avocado. Cathy Thomas, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 Add the pork chops to the flour and turn to coat all sides, including the edges. Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 23 Feb. 2024 Customers can combine meats like lobster and steak for a surf-and-turf burrito, get fresh-cut potato wedges coated in a spicy seasoning blend or add a sweet potato bar for dessert. Danielle Dorsey, Los Angeles Times, 22 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English cote, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German kozza coarse wool mantle

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coat was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near coat

Cite this Entry

“Coat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coat. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

coat

1 of 2 noun
1
: an outer garment varying in length and style according to fashion and use
2
: the outer covering (as of fur) of an animal
3
: a layer of material covering a surface
a coat of paint
coated adjective

coat

2 of 2 verb
: to cover with a coat or covering

Medical Definition

coat

noun
1
: the external growth on an animal
2
: a layer of one substance covering or lining another
especially : one covering or lining an organ
the coat of the eyeball

More from Merriam-Webster on coat

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