Meanings
plural personal flotation devices · alternative flotation device
- A life vest or other device or article of clothing designed to be used by one person as an aid to remaining safely afloat in water, especially in an emergency situation.
Under the new personal flotation device regulations, boats 16 feet and longer must have one wearable type flotation device on board the boat for each person.
1973 October 15, “Water Safety Drive Concluded”, in Ocala Star-Banner, retrieved 07 Jan 2010, page 5BSynonyms: flotation suit, life belt, life buoy, life jacket, lifesaver, Mae West, PFD
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA life vest or other device or article of clothing designed to be used by one person as an aid to remaining safely afloat in water, especially in an emergency situation.
Cite this entry
personal flotation device. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/personal%20flotation%20device
“personal flotation device.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/personal%20flotation%20device. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “personal flotation device,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/personal%20flotation%20device.
Source: personal flotation device on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.