Meaning & use
jacket
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Meanings
nouncountable
A short coat that reaches about the hips, worn over other clothes for warmth or style.
Grammar: Countable: wear a jacket, buy two jackets.
Patterns
- wear a jacket
- put on a jacket
- take off a jacket
- a jacket and trousers
Put on a jacket — it's cold outside.
He wore a dark blue jacket to the interview.
She hung her jacket on the back of the chair.
nouncountable
The removable paper cover that protects a hardback book.
Grammar: Countable; often called a dust jacket in full.
Patterns
- a dust jacket
- the book's jacket
- a jacket with a photo on it
The dust jacket was torn, but the book itself was fine.
The first edition still has its original jacket.
She designed the jacket for her own novel.
nouncountabletechnical
An outer covering or casing around something, such as a pipe, cable, or machine part.
Grammar: Countable and often technical; usually appears with of.
Patterns
- a jacket of something
- an outer jacket
- a protective jacket
The cable has a thick plastic jacket.
Workers fitted a steel jacket around the damaged pipe.
The water heater's outer jacket keeps the heat in.
nouncountableBritish
The skin of a baked potato, eaten with the potato inside.
Grammar: Countable; usually in the phrase in its jacket or potato in its jacket.
Patterns
- a potato in its jacket
- jacket potato
We had potatoes in their jackets with cheese.
A jacket potato with beans is a cheap lunch.
Bake the potatoes and serve them in their jackets.
Word forms
| plural | jackets |
|---|
Common combinations
- wear a jacket
- You should wear a jacket to the wedding.
- leather jacket
- He rides a motorbike and always wears a leather jacket.
- dust jacket
- The dust jacket has a small tear at the corner.
- jacket potato
- I'll have a jacket potato with tuna.
- life jacket
- Everyone on the boat must put on a life jacket.
- jacket and tie
- The invitation says jacket and tie.
Synonyms and how they differ
- coat
- A coat is usually longer and warmer than a jacket; jackets are shorter and often lighter.
- blazer
- A blazer is a smart jacket, often part of a school or club uniform.
- cardigan
- A cardigan is knitted and fastened with buttons, while a jacket is usually made of heavier material.
- cover
- Use cover for the general outer layer of anything; jacket is more specific and often technical.
Word family
Commonly confused: jacket or coat? jacket or jacker?
jacket vs coat
Both are outer garments, but a coat is generally longer and warmer, reaching below the hips.
jacket vs jacker
Not a standard English word; learners sometimes write it by mistake for jacket.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'jacket' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A jacket is clothing worn for warmth, so sentence 2 fits. Sentence 4 is wrong because 'jacket' is not a verb meaning to close a door.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “jacket”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.