Anorak is a term for a windproof, insulated jacket with a hood. It originates from Greenlandic, traditionally linked to clothing worn by Inuit peoples to shield against cold and wind. Key points
- Definition: Anorak typically refers to a padded or insulated jacket with a hood; some variants are pull-over style without a full-length front zipper, while modern versions often include a zipper and synthetic insulation.
- Etymology: The word comes from the Greenlandic Kalaallisut language, commonly said to mean “something against the wind” or related to clothing intended to keep warmth in and wind out.
- Usage: In German and many European contexts, “Anorak” is used to describe a practical, weatherproof outer layer suitable for cold, windy conditions. In English-speaking contexts, it also denotes a casual or technical windproof jacket with a hood, sometimes used more loosely to describe parkas or lightweight windbreakers.
- Variants: Modern Anoraks may be lightweight wind jackets or heavily insulated parka-like garments, and the term can be used somewhat flexibly to describe jackets with or without full front zippers.
If you’d like, I can provide concise definitions or translations in [German](javascript:void(0)) or another language, or compare Anorak to similar garments (parka, windbreaker) with brief pros/cons.
