et ▁is ▁a ▁mid - st om ach – length ▁gar ment ▁for ▁the ▁upper ▁body . ▁A ▁jack et ▁typically ▁has ▁sle e ves , ▁and ▁fast ens ▁in ▁the ▁front ▁or ▁slightly ▁on ▁the ▁side . ▁A ▁jack et ▁is ▁generally ▁l ighter , ▁t ighter - f itting , ▁and ▁less ▁ins ulating ▁than ▁a ▁coat , ▁which ▁is ▁outer we ar . ▁Some ▁jack ets ▁are ▁fashion able , ▁while ▁others ▁serve ▁as ▁protect ive ▁cl othing . ▁ ▁Jack ets ▁without ▁sle e ves ▁are ▁v ests . ▁ ▁Et ym ology ▁The ▁word ▁jack et ▁comes ▁from ▁the ▁French ▁word ▁ja qu ette . ▁The ▁term ▁comes ▁from ▁the ▁Middle ▁French ▁n oun ▁ja quet , ▁which ▁refers ▁to ▁a ▁small ▁or ▁light weight ▁t unic . ▁In ▁Modern ▁French , ▁ja qu ette ▁is ▁syn onymous ▁with ▁jack et . ▁Spe akers ▁of ▁American ▁English ▁sometimes ▁inform ally ▁use ▁the ▁words ▁jack et ▁and ▁coat ▁inter change ably . ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁jack ets ▁▁▁▁ ▁A til la , ▁a ▁fancy , ▁bra ided ▁Hung arian ▁shell - jack et ▁or ▁short ▁coat , ▁decor ated ▁with ▁la ce ▁and ▁kn ots ▁ ▁Ball ▁jack et , ▁often ▁specified ▁as ▁a ▁baseball ▁jack et ▁or ▁football ▁jack et , ▁a ▁cas ual ▁jack et ▁with ▁kn itted ▁cu ff s , ▁col lar , ▁and ▁wa ist band ▁and ▁a ▁z i pper ed ▁front ▁ ▁Bed ▁jack et , ▁a ▁jack et ▁made ▁from ▁light