Dry Suit or Drysuit?

[hazmat]

Is or either or? I see it both ways all the time, even in the same paragraph from the same person. Is it like web site vs. website?

 

[Kevrumbo]

Either way just so it isn't a wetsuit, or wet suit attempting to masquerade as a Drysuit. . .

 

[David Wilson]

The online version of the Oxford English Dictionary only lists "drysuit" as a single word:
drysuit - definition of drysuit in English from the Oxford dictionary
The problem with "dry suit" as two separate words is that it introduces a degree of ambiguity. In an aquatic context, "dry suit" is likely to be interpreted using the OED meaning of "waterproof rubber suit worn for water sports and diving, under which warm clothes can be worn". Compare the following however: "As Jones made his way back to the office, the heavens opened and he was completely drenched. He decided to return home to retrieve a dry suit to wear for that afternoon's meeting." Assuming Jones isn't James Bond, the "dry suit" he will be changing into will be formal office wear, not a watertight exposure suit for underwater swimming.

 

[hazmat]

Hah. Thanks, David. I like the explanation. Does the OED have an exception for James Bond?

 

[David Wilson]

Hah. Thanks, David. I like the explanation. Does the OED have an exception for James Bond?

Sadly not, Ken. The Oxford English Dictionary lexicographers will be too "po-faced" to indulge in such matters. Seriously, though, I have just had a look at my copy of "Skin Diver", November 1956 edition, which is a special issue on exposure suits, to see what the practice is there. I found the articles all used "wet suit" and "dry suit" as separate words. I suspect that "drysuit" and Wetsuit" are later coinages. Interestingly too, I found that a recent European Standard on drysuits uses "dry suits" in its title: "Standard in development: BS EN 14225-2 Diving suits Part 2: Dry suits - Requirements and test methods"; see https://standardsdevelopment.bsigroup.com/Home/Project/201303276

So I personally prefer "drysuit" and so does the OED, mainly because of the term's lack of ambiguity, but "dry suit" also appears to be acceptable even in certain official circles. Make of that what you will!

David

 

[hazmat]

With a degree in Linguistics, I like the idea of avoiding ambiguity. Now avoiding moral ambiguity is another thing....

 

[Akimbo]

Oops, sorry for the misreading.

 

[hazmat]

Thanks, but we were just talking about the spelling of "drysuit" vs. "dry suit".