What is "coat armor"

Armor \Ar"mor\, n. [OE. armure, fr. F. armure, OF. armeure, fr. L. armatura. See Armature.] [Spelt also armour.]

1. Defensive arms for the body; any clothing or covering worn to protect one's person in battle.

   Note: In English statues, armor is used for the whole apparatus of war, including offensive as well as defensive arms. The statues of armor directed what arms every man should provide.

2. Steel or iron covering, whether of ships or forts, protecting them from the fire of artillery.

   Coat armor, the escutcheon of a person or family, with its several charges and other furniture, as mantling, crest, supporters, motto, etc.

   Submarine, a water-tight dress or covering for a diver. See under Submarine.

Coat \Coat\ (k[=o]t; 110), n. [OF. cote, F. cotte, petticoat, cotte d'armes coat of arms, cotte de mailles coat of mail, LL. cota, cotta, tunic, prob. of German origin; cf. OHG. chozzo coarse mantle, G. klotze, D. kot, hut, E. cot. Cf. Cot a hut.]

1. An outer garment fitting the upper part of the body; especially, such a garment worn by men.

   Let each His adamantine coat gird well.
   --Milton.

2. A petticoat. [Obs.] ``A child in coats.''
   --Locke.

3. The habit or vesture of an order of men, indicating the order or office; cloth.

   Men of his coat should be minding their prayers.
   --Swift.

   She was sought by spirits of richest coat.
   --Shak.

4. An external covering like a garment, as fur, skin, wool, husk, or bark; as, the horses coats were sleek.

   Fruit of all kinds, in coat Rough or smooth rined, or bearded husk, or shell.
   --Milton.

5. A layer of any substance covering another; a cover; a tegument; as, the coats of the eye; the coats of an onion; a coat of tar or varnish.

6. Same as Coat of arms. See below.

   Hark, countrymen! either renew the fight, Or tear the lions out of England's coat.
   --Shak.

7. A coat card. See below. [Obs.]

   Here's a trick of discarded cards of us! We were ranked with coats as long as old master lived.
   --Massinger.

   Coat armor. See under Armor.

   Coat of arms (Her.), a translation of the French cotte d'armes, a garment of light material worn over the armor in the 15th and 16th centuries. This was often charged with the heraldic bearings of the wearer. Hence, an heraldic achievement; the bearings of any person, taken together.

   Coat card, a card bearing a coated figure; the king, queen, or knave of playing cards. ```I am a coat card indeed.' `Then thou must needs be a knave, for thou art neither king nor queen.'''
   --Rowley.

   Coat link, a pair of buttons or studs joined by a link, to hold together the lappels of a double-breasted coat; or a button with a loop for a single-breasted coat.

   Coat of mail, a defensive garment of chain mail. See Chain mail, under Chain.

   Mast coat (Naut.), a piece of canvas nailed around a mast, where it passes through the deck, to prevent water from getting below.

   Sail coat (Naut.), a canvas cover laced over furled sails, and the like, to keep them dry and clean.