parka

American  

[pahr-kuh] / ˈpɑr kə /

noun

1. a fur coat, shirtlike and hooded, for wear in the Arctic and other regions of extreme cold.

2. a hip-length jacket or overshirt with an attached hood, often of wool or of a windproof, water-repellent material lined or trimmed with wool, used by skiers, hunters, the military, etc.

3. any coat or jacket with a hood, as a hooded raincoat or windbreaker.

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parka British  

/ ˈpɑːkə /

noun

1. a warm hip-length weatherproof coat with a hood, originally worn by the Inuit

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Etymology

Origin of parka

First recorded in 1770–80; from Aleut or Yupik or directly from dialectal Russian párka, from Komi or directly from Nenets

Explanation

A parka is an insulated, waterproof coat with a hood. Before you head out on a winter camping trip in Canada, you'll want to make sure your parka is warm enough. Parkas are designed to block the wind and keep you warm — they are often lined with fur or another plush, cozy material. The earliest version of the parka was invented by Canadian Inuits, using caribou or seal skin and fur, and coated with fish oil to make it waterproof. Parka is an Aleut word that means "animal skins," and it's also used in Russian to mean "a jacket made from a pelt."

Example Sentences

It was far higher than he had anticipated in part because the parka was, unbeknownst to him, made in Myanmar, then facing a tariff rate of 40%, which stuck him with $248.04 in charges.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Arc’teryx got the ultimate celebrity boost in China when Chinese leader Xi Jinping wore an Arc’teryx parka in 2021 to inspect venues for the Olympics and again at the Opening Ceremony.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 6, 2025

Then she deduces Heiss must have gotten the parka from Clark and asks where he is.

From Salon • Feb. 5, 2024

Appearing in a parka and a skullcap, he said he had only escaped because he believed he would be killed if he had remained in custody.

From New York Times • Jan. 13, 2024

I changed my clothes from the skin out and put on sealskin pants and my best parka and the parka cover I had made of red cotton cloth.

From "Black Star, Bright Dawn" by Scott O'Dell

Related Words

• coat
• fur
• sheath
• tunic