outerwear

This term refers specifically to the outermost layer of clothing intended to shield the wearer from external elements like rain, wind, or cold. It carries a functional connotation, emphasizing utility and protection over fashion, though it encompasses both. Grammatically, this noun is uncountable. It describes a category of clothing rather than individual items; therefore, it cannot be pluralized as outerwears. To refer to a single item, one must use a partitive construction such as a piece of outerwear.