wet suit

noun

Updated on: 4 Apr 2018

Definition of wet suit

: a close-fitting suit made of material (such as sponge rubber) that is worn (as by a skin diver) especially in cold water to retain body heat and that traps a thin layer of water against the body

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Recent Examples of wet suit from the Web

Chloroprene is needed to make neoprene, which is often used in chemical and weather-resistant products like wet suits and orthopedic braces.

— littice bacon-blood, NOLA.com, "St. John school officials call for LaPlace neoprene plant to reduce emissions," 26 Mar. 2018
During a drill at the State Police post on East 21st Street, Giesbrecht and a member of the State Police diving team dressed in wet suits before strapping themselves into a minivan.

— eric weddle, Indianapolis Star, "How to escape a sinking car," 7 Mar. 2018
Tests had found that removing the plug from the kayak was not enough in itself to cause the kayak the capsize, prosecutors said, and Viafore was not wearing a life jacket or wet suit and the couple had alcohol with them on the trip.

— rick rojas, miamiherald, "Woman accused of causing finance’s kayaking death is now free. ‘I’m not heartless,’ she says," 18 Feb. 2018
Having more subcutaneous fat apparently helps them better withstand the water’s cold temperatures, which can dip into the 50s; today, most amas use wet suits but no other scuba equipment.

— adam h. graham, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Ise-Shima Peninsula Is a Portal Into Old Japan," 2 June 2017
Details about nefarious plots to assassinate Fidel Castro were on full display — including lining the Cuban leader’s wet suit with toxic chemicals, and plans to pay the Mafia to kill Castro.

— michael poznansky, Washington Post, "What the JFK assassination files can tell us about the U.S. plot to kill Castro," 30 Oct. 2017
Deep Sea diving, originally a cumbersome and treacherous affair with spherical helmets and long hoses (think Diver Dan), advanced to lightweight technology in the 1950s—scuba gear and the wet suit.

— laura jacobs, WSJ, "‘Expedition: Fashion From the Extreme’ Review: Survival Couture," 19 Sep. 2017
Earlier on Saturday, several divers in wet suits from The Dive Shop in Merriam had scoured the bottom of the pond beneath the bridge for hours, but had no luck.

— eric adler, kansascity, "KC couple’s lost engagement ring is found — and they kept it secret for days," 20 Sep. 2017
IndyStar Social Media Platforms Editor Joe Tamborello hopes to don a wet suit and meet dolphins soon.

— joe tamborello, Indianapolis Star, "Indianapolis Zoo offers new adults-only dolphin program," 15 Sep. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'wet suit.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of wet suit

1955

WET SUIT Defined for English Language Learners

wet suit

noun

Definition of wet suit for English Language Learners

: a piece of clothing that is made of rubber and that is worn by swimmers, divers, etc., when they are in cold water in order to keep their bodies warm