colete
/koˈle.t͡ʃi/masculine
The English word 'vest' is colete in Portuguese.
A colete is a garment worn over a shirt. To refer specifically to body armor or a bulletproof vest, use the phrase colete à prova de balas. In certain regions, the term Túnica is used to describe a vest-like garment, which is often associated with historical or ceremonial contexts.
Meaning: garment worn over a shirt (noun)
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of colete is coletes, created by adding an 's'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /koˈle.tʃi/.
Did you know?
- If you are looking for a 'waistcoat' in a high-end tailor shop in Lisbon, you will look for a colete, but the word can also describe a 'life jacket' in certain nautical contexts depending on the region.
- The Portuguese colete shares its ancestry with the English word 'collar', as both trace back to the Latin word collum meaning 'neck'.
- In a sporting context, a colete is the training bib or pinnie worn by athletes to distinguish teams during practice.
Examples in context
- Tom estava usando seu colete à prova de balas.Tom was wearing his bulletproof vest.This sentence shows the use of colete in the context of a bulletproof vest.Tatoeba #9082053 by JGEN, translation #9050409 by CK
- O policial estava usando um colete à prova de balas.The police officer wore a bulletproof vest.This sentence demonstrates how to use colete when describing a police officer's equipment.Tatoeba #5363014 by ToinhoAlam, translation #686100 by CK
- Maria estava usando um colete elegante.Maria was wearing an elegant vest.
- O médico estava vestindo um jaleco branco.The doctor was wearing a white lab coat.
- Eu comprei um colete novo para a festa.I bought a new vest for the party.
- Lembre-se de usar sempre o colete salva-vidas ao andar de barco.Always remember to wear a life vest when boating.
- Ele comprou um colete de lã novo.He bought a new wool vest.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rodrigo and Juliana are getting dressed for a dinner party.
- RodrigoJuliana, você acha que este colete combina?Juliana, do you think this vest matches?
- JulianaSim, Rodrigo, fica ótimo com essa camisa.Yes, Rodrigo, it looks great with that shirt.
- RodrigoVou usar o colete então.I'll wear the vest then.
- JulianaVocê está muito elegante agora.You look very elegant now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “vest” translations and entries colete, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries colete, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
