anorak

noun

an·o·rak ˈa-nə-ˌrak

: a usually pullover hooded jacket long enough to cover the hips

British, informal : a person who is extremely enthusiastic about and interested in something that other people find boring

Bale's book is scholarly, immensely detailed and aimed squarely at political anoraks.—

The Sunday Business Post

Examples of anorak in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Photograph: Toby Coulson/Faber Futures The Exploring Jacket isn’t your regular anorak. —

Delle Chan, WIRED, 3 Oct. 2024 Kegels popped out to take her bow in a black anorak, its hood pulled as tight as could be. —

Mark Holgate, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2024 Retail prices: The Cloudburst anorak is $439, the Ditch-Hiker shorts are $229 and the jacket is $279, the 5 Mila half-zip is $119 and the Adventure vest is $499. —

Luis Campuzano, WWD, 12 Aug. 2024 Sweaters and jackets were given wings; denim and sweats sprouted ersatz 24-karat fringe; anoraks trailed lace like a wedding veil, or a royal train. —

Vanessa Friedman, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for anorak

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'anorak.' 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

borrowed from Norwegian, Danish or German, borrowed from Greenlandic Inuit annoraaq, name for a hooded outer garment originally made of skin; (sense 2) from the alleged popularity of anoraks as outerwear among such people

Note: The word was initially circulated in English through translations of accounts of polar expeditions, particularly those by Fridtjof nansen, who also wrote about the lives and culture of Greenland Inuit.

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of anorak was in 1877

See more words from the same year