A short, fitted jacket or coat; also a surname of English origin.
Named after the 2nd Earl Spencer (1758-1834), who popularized this style of short jacket. As a surname, it derives from Old French 'despensier' (steward, one who dispenses provisions).
The Spencer jacket was born from practicality - the Earl supposedly had his coat-tails cut off after they were singed by a fire. This aristocratic fashion mishap became a popular women's garment that influenced jacket design for centuries.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.