boiler suit

IPA/ˈbɔɪlə suːt/
IPA/ˈbɔɪlər suːt/

boiler suit — noun

1. A one-piece garment with long sleeves and full-length legs, worn over everyday c

1.nounB1
Definition

A one-piece garment with long sleeves and full-length legs, worn over everyday clothes to keep them clean during manual or dirty work.

Example

Tamar put on her white boiler suit before entering the paint-spraying booth.

wear + boiler suit before starting dirty work

Mathieu's blue boiler suit was covered in oil after repairing the truck engine.

possessive form: [person]'s + boiler suit

Common collocations
  • wear a boiler suit
  • put on a boiler suit
  • take off a boiler suit
  • a clean boiler suit
  • a dirty boiler suit
Synonyms
  • coveralls

    American English equivalent; same one-piece protective garment for manual work

  • overalls

    Can mean the same in British English, but in American English 'overalls' typically refers to bib-and-brace trousers

  • work suit

    More general term; may refer to any set of work clothes, not necessarily a one-piece garment

Grammar Patterns

a/an [adjective] boiler suit

in a boiler suit

Usage Note

This term is chiefly British English. In American English the same garment is normally called 'coveralls'. Take care not to confuse it with 'overalls', which in American English refers to bib-and-brace trousers rather than a full one-piece suit.

Common Mistakes

He wore a formal boiler suit to the wedding.
He wore a formal suit to the wedding.
'boiler suit' describes protective workwear, not formal attire.

Word family

  • boiler-suited
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Boiler suit' (British English) and 'coveralls' (American English) refer to the same one-piece protective garment worn for manual labour. 'Overalls' can be confusing: in British English it often means a boiler suit, but in American English it usually describes bib-and-brace trousers (trousers with a front flap worn over a shirt). 'Jumpsuit' describes a similar one-piece garment but belongs to fashion rather than workwear — a welder wears a boiler suit, while a singer might wear a sequinned jumpsuit on stage. 'Work suit' is a broader term that could mean any set of clothes for work, including a boiler suit, a chef's whites, or office attire.

coverallsoverallsjumpsuit ↗work suit

Common collocations

Nouns

  • cotton boiler suit
  • denim boiler suit
  • mechanic's boiler suit
  • worker's boiler suit

Phrases

  • put on a boiler suit
  • take off a boiler suit
  • wear a boiler suit
  • zip up a boiler suit

Prepositions

  • in a boiler suit

Etymology

Old FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The term 'boiler suit' dates from the late 19th century, when workers who maintained coal-fired steam boilers on ships and in factories wore a sturdy one-piece garment for protection against heat, soot, and grease. 'Boiler' comes from Middle English 'boilen' (to heat or bubble), and 'suit' comes from Old French 'suite' (a set of matching items). Over time the name spread to any similar one-piece protective work garment, even when the wearer was not working near a boiler.