1. a short coat of thick wool, usually double-breasted and navy in color, worn by seamen, fishermen, etc.
2. a jacket or short coat styled like this, worn by adults and children. Also called peacoat, pea coat .
[ 1715-25, Amer.; pea, var. sp. of pay, pee, pie coat of coarse woolen cloth (late ME pee, pey, pie; akin to D pij, dial. Fris pey, dial. Sw paje ) + JACKET; perh. modeled on Fris (N dial.) pijekkat ]