Meaning & use
mink coat
Last updated
Meanings
nouncountable
A coat made from the fur of a mink, typically an expensive luxury item.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a mink coat' or 'two mink coats'.
Patterns
- a mink coat
- wear a mink coat
- buy a mink coat
She wore a long mink coat to the opera.
He bought his wife a mink coat for their anniversary.
The actress stepped out of the limousine in a full-length mink coat.
nouncountable
A garment made of mink fur, often seen as a symbol of wealth and luxury.
Grammar: Countable; often used in the plural to refer to multiple coats or the category.
Patterns
- mink coats
- a collection of mink coats
- the mink coat industry
The store displayed a rack of mink coats in the window.
Mink coats were once a status symbol among the wealthy.
Animal rights activists protested outside the mink coat auction.
nouncountable
A coat made from the fur of a mink, often controversial because of animal rights issues.
Grammar: Countable; used when discussing ethical or political aspects.
Patterns
- wear a mink coat
- ban mink coats
- protest against mink coats
Some people refuse to wear a mink coat on ethical grounds.
The debate over mink coats often centers on animal welfare.
She decided not to buy the mink coat after learning how the animals are raised.
Word forms
| plural | mink coats |
|---|
Common combinations
- wear a mink coat
- She likes to wear a mink coat in winter.
- buy a mink coat
- He saved for years to buy a mink coat for his mother.
- a full-length mink coat
- The model appeared in a full-length mink coat.
- a mink coat owner
- The mink coat owner was criticized by activists.
- a mink coat draped over her shoulders
- She entered with a mink coat draped over her shoulders.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fur coat
- A broader term for any coat made of animal fur, not specifically mink.
- mink
- Often used alone to mean a mink coat, but can also refer to the animal.
Word family
- mink noun
- The animal whose fur is used, or the fur itself.
- mink-lined adjective
- Having a lining made of mink fur.
Commonly confused: mink coat or mink? mink coat or mink stole?
mink coat vs mink
Mink is the animal or the fur; a mink coat is the garment made from it.
mink coat vs mink stole
A stole is a narrower wrap, not a full coat.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
We use 'to' to indicate the destination or event we attend. 'On' is not used for events; 'at' would mean she was already there when wearing it, but 'to' emphasizes going there. 'For' could work if the coat was intended for the party, but 'to' is the natural choice for attending.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mink coat”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.