As a noun, a coat is an outer piece of clothing worn over other clothes for warmth or protection. As a verb, it means to cover something with a layer of another substance.
“Coat” comes from Old French “cote,” meaning a tunic or outer garment, likely from a Germanic root. Over time it broadened to mean any protective covering, not just clothing.
When you “coat” food in chocolate or paint a “coat” on a wall, you’re using the clothing word in disguise. A coat is always about protection—whether it’s your body from cold or metal from rust.
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