Lifejacket
/ˈlaɪfˌdʒækɪt/noun
A buoyant garment or device worn to keep a person afloat in water.
Did you know?Unlike occult-sounding words with ancient roots, lifejacket is a transparent modern compound, but its meaning carries a grim maritime truth: it names clothing whose entire purpose is to delay drowning.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
līf
“life; existence; the state of being alive”
Middle English
ME
jakket
“a short coat or outer garment”
16th Century
English
life jacket
“a garment or device intended to preserve life in water”
19th Century
English
life-jacket
“a buoyant vest or coat for keeping a person afloat”
Modern English
English
lifejacket
“a flotation device worn on the body to prevent drowning”