What does "spencer" mean?
A short double-breasted men's overcoat worn in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Spencer
/ˈspɛnsə/ name, noun
name, noun ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A short double-breasted men's overcoat worn in the 18th and 19th centuries.
- Grammar: spencer is listed as name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: family name, first name, forename, given name.
- Useful contrasts: given name, nakedness, surname.
- Usage evidence: I worked with Mr Spencer for a year in New York.
How to use "spencer"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "spencer" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "spencer" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "spencer" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "spencer" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "spencer" is acting as name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "family name" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "spencer", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A short double-breasted men's overcoat worn in the 18th and 19th centuries. historical
- 2 A short, close-fitting jacket primarily worn by women and children in the early 19th century. historical
"In order to support and illustrate this assertion, I shall commence my remarks with the spencer, which has often been attacked by satyrical and cynical writers as an absurd and original dress."
- 3 A (usually woollen) vest worn by women and girls for extra warmth. historical
"I am seized with an angry resentment against the conventions of twenty years ago, which wrapped up my comely adolescent body in woollen combinations, black cashmere stockings, “liberty” bodice, dark stockinette knickers, flannel petticoat and often, in addition, a long-sleeved, high-necked, knitted woollen “spencer”."
- 4 A large loose-fitted gaffsail on a square-rigger or barque, used from the nineteenth century onwards.
Proper Noun
- 1 An English surname originating as an occupation. countable
"Other groups have different messages: the National Policy Institute, fronted by Richard Spencer and designed to “elevate the consciousness of whites”; the Occidental Quarterly, run by CMS member Kevin MacDonald and presenting itself as a scholarly journal; American Third Position, later rebranded as the American Freedom Party, led by Johnson with “a platform that is predicated on the preservation of our traditional European roots.”"
- 2 A unisex given name.; A male given name transferred from the surname, of general 19th century and later usage. countable, uncountable
"Later, a 'person of interest' was said to be in custody in connection with Kirk's shooting, Utah governor Spencer Cox announced Wednesday evening."
- 3 A unisex given name.; A female given name transferred from the surname, of modern usage. countable, uncountable
- 4 A placename:; A suburb of Central Coast, New South Wales, Australia; probably named for British politician George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer. countable, uncountable
- 5 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A town in Massachusetts; named for Massachusetts governor Spencer Phips. countable, uncountable
Show 17 more definitions
- 6 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A city, the county seat of Clay County, Iowa. countable, uncountable
- 7 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A city in Oklahoma. countable, uncountable
- 8 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A town in North Carolina; named for railroad executive Samuel Spencer. countable, uncountable
- 9 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A town and village in New York; named for New York statesman Ambrose Spencer. countable, uncountable
- 10 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A city, the county seat of Roane County, West Virginia. countable, uncountable
- 11 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A town, the county seat of Owen County, Indiana; named for Indiana militia officer Spier Spencer. countable, uncountable
- 12 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A town and village in Wisconsin; named for the town in Massachusetts. countable, uncountable
- 13 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A town, the county seat of Van Buren County, Tennessee; named for longhunter Thomas Sharp Spencer. countable, uncountable
- 14 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A village in Ohio. countable, uncountable
- 15 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A village in Nebraska; perhaps named for Alabama statesman George E. Spencer. countable, uncountable
- 16 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A city in South Dakota; named for railroad official H. Spencer. countable, uncountable
- 17 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A hamlet in Idaho. countable, uncountable
- 18 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; An unincorporated community in Missouri; named for a local merchant. countable, uncountable
- 19 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; An unincorporated community in Virginia; named for first settler James Spencer Jr. countable, uncountable
- 20 A placename:; A locality in the United States.; A number of townships in the United States, listed under Spencer Township. countable, uncountable
- 21 A placename:; Ellipsis of Spencer County. abbreviation, alt-of, countable, ellipsis, uncountable
- 22 An English earldom. countable, uncountable
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"I worked with Mr Spencer for a year in New York."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "spencer"?
Common synonyms include: family name, first name, forename, given name, jacket, last name.
How do you use "spencer" in a sentence?
I worked with Mr Spencer for a year in New York.
How do you pronounce "spencer"?
Pronounced /ˈspɛnsə/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
An occupational surname from Middle English Spenser, Spencer, Spensier, from the common noun spenser (“spencer”), denoting someone who works in a spense (“spence”), or as a butler or steward.
Etymology 2
From the family name Spencer. The jacket is probably named after George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer (1758-1834).