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topcoat

American  
[top-koht] / ˈtɒpˌkoʊt /

noun

  1. a lightweight overcoat.

  2. the coat of paint applied last to a surface.

verb (used with object)

  1. to apply the topcoat to (a surface).

topcoat British  
/ ˈtɒpˌkəʊt /

noun

  1. an outdoor coat worn over a suit, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of topcoat

First recorded in 1810–20; top 1 + coat

Compare meaning

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It was a cool evening in November 1946, and the men came in topcoats and hats.

From Los Angeles Times

The passersby sporting timeless wool topcoats and carrying shopping bags.

From Los Angeles Times

I looked down and saw that the hand belonged to the quiet man in the dark topcoat.

From Literature

For both primer and topcoats, the process is similar.

From Washington Post

Some on Reddit fixed this by sanding theirs down to take the shine off of the finish, and another recommended using an acrylic topcoat and another chemical bluing.

From The Verge

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.