Other forms: peacoats
A peacoat is a heavy wool, double-breasted jacket. Peacoats were originally worn by European and then American sailors, but now they're a fashion staple in the winter for both men and women.
Peacoats were great for protecting sailors from the brutal cold they often encountered on the high seas. The peacoat's wide collar could be flipped up for wind protection, and the dual rows of buttons ensured that the coat stayed securely closed. Today, peacoats are an optional, not standard, part of a U.S. sailor's uniform, but they're still popular with anyone who wants to look stylish while staying warm. The name peacoat may have come from the Dutch pijjekker, "jacket of coarse woolen cloth," or from pilot cloth, also called P-cloth, a waterproof material used in the U.S. Navy.