coaster
English · Thesaurus
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coaster¹
- /ˈkəʊ̯s.tə/ UK
- /ˈkoʊ̯s.tɚ/ US, Philippines
- /ˈkʌʊ̯s.tə/ New Zealand
Rhymes with -əʊstə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
From coast (“edge of the land where it meets an ocean, sea, gulf, bay, or large lake”) + -er (suffix forming agent nouns). Coast is derived from Middle English coste (“rib; side of the body, flank; side of a building; face of a solid figure; coast, shore; bay, gulf; sea; concavity, hollow; boundary, limit; land; country; district, province, region; locality, place; division of the heavens; compass direction; direction; location with reference to direction, side”) [and other forms], from Old French coste (“rib; side of an object; coast”) (modern French côte (“rib; coast; hill, slope”)), from Latin costa (“rib; side, wall”).
noun coasters
- A person who originates from or inhabits a coastal area. People said, "Eldridge. Of course, he's an old Coaster," and Eldridge, the middle-aged shipping agent, at the beginning of every meal would say, "Chop, as we call it on the Coast," or handing a plate of onions, "Violets, we say on the Coast."
- A sailor (especially the master or pilot of a vessel) who travels only in coastal waters. Thus, with ſhort Plummets Heav'ns deep will we ſound, / That vaſt Abyſs where humane Wit is drown'd! / In our ſmall Skiff we muſt not launce too far; / We here but Coaſters, not Diſcov'rers are.
-
A merchant vessel that stays in coastal waters, especially one that travels between ports of the same country.
His father was skipper of a small coaster, from Bristol, and dying, left him, when quite young, to the care of his mother, by whose exertions he received a common-school education, passing his winters in school and his summers in the coasting trade, until his seventeenth year, when he left home to g
Similar: coasting vessel
- Ellipsis of coaster trout (“the brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in Lake Superior and Maine”).
- A cow from the coastal part of Texas. The ranch's rangy coasters, the only saleable cattle they then held, could not compete with cattle from a growing number of Midwest farmer-feeders or with competitors stocking the northern ranges.
- A prostitute, especially one of European descent, plying her trade in Chinese port towns. Don't tell me you've never heard of Shanghai Lily! Everybody in China knows her. She is a notorious coaster.
coaster²
- /ˈkəʊ̯s.tə/ UK
- /ˈkoʊ̯s.tɚ/ US, Philippines
- /ˈkʌʊ̯s.tə/ New Zealand
Rhymes with -əʊstə(ɹ)
Where it comes from
From coast (“to glide along without adding energy; to make a minimal effort; to slide downhill (especially, to slide on a sled upon snow or ice)”) + -er (suffix forming agent nouns). Coast is derived from Middle English costeien (“to travel along a border or coast; to go alongside (something), skirt; to accompany, follow; to travel across, traverse; to be adjacent to, to border;”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman [Term?], Old French costoier (“to be at the side of”) [and other forms] (modern French côtoyer (“to pass alongside; (figuratively) to rub shoulders”)), from Latin costicāre, from costa (“rib; side, wall”); see further at etymology 1.
etymology 2 sense 2.1 (“small stand or tray”) is from the fact that the object and the decanter or wine bottle on it “coast” or travel around a tabletop from person to person.
etymology 2 sense 2.2.2 (“useless compact disc or DVD”) refers to the fact that the object is only useful as a drink coaster.
etymology 2 sense 2.5 (“minibus”) is a genericized trademark from Toyota Coaster. Compare Spanish coaster / cúster.
noun coasters
- An itinerant person who shirks work but still seeks food and lodging; a loafer, a sundowner.
- A person who uses a sled or toboggan to slide down a slope covered with ice or snow; a sledder, a tobogganist. It was cold but still, and Polly trotted down the smooth, snow-covered mall, humming to herself, and trying not to feel homesick. The coasters were at it with all their might, and she watched them, till her longing to join the fun grew irresistible.
- One who succeeds while making only a minimal effort. In Prashar's opinion, there are two types of manager: "coasters, who coast along in a job, and sprinters, who have a challenge, deal with it and then move on."
- A small stand or tray, sometimes with wheels, used to pass something such as a decanter or wine bottle around a tabletop.
- A small, flat or tray-like object on which a bottle, cup, glass, mug, etc., is placed to protect a table surface from drink spills, heat, or water condensation.
- A useless compact disc or DVD, such as one that was burned incorrectly or has become corrupted.
- Ellipsis of rollercoaster You can lose hours to tilting, tweaking, and twisting individual sections of a coaster, playing with loops and rolls until it provides maximum thrills without subjecting your visitors to an astronaut's worth of G-force.
- A sled or toboggan.
- A minibus; small bus (especially Toyota Coaster or in general resembling such regardless of brand name) coaster bus
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: mountain, drift, drifting, roller, adrift, mat, ride, sled, train, rouble, eight, russian, coastlander, coastie, cocos islander, cologner
Translations
Every language
noun sailor who travels only in coastal waters
| Español | navegador (de costas) |
|---|
noun person who originates from or inhabits a coastal area
| Русский | поморя́нин pomorjánin |
|---|
noun merchant vessel that stays in coastal waters
| Español | deslizador |
|---|---|
| 日本語 | 沿岸貿易船 enganbōekifune |
| Français | caboteur |
| Deutsch | Küstenschiff |
| Italiano | nave costiera, cabotiere, cabotiero |
| Ελληνικά | ακτοπλοϊκό aktoploïkó |
| Română | cabotier |
| Русский | кабота́жное су́дно kabotážnoje súdno |
noun small stand or tray used to pass something around a tabletop
| Español | bandeja (con ruedas) |
|---|
noun small object on which a cup, etc., is placed to protect a table surface
| Español | posavasos |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 코스터 koseuteo, 컵받침 keopbatchim |
| 日本語 | コースター kōsutā |
| 中文 | 杯墊 /杯垫 bēidiàn |
| Português | bolacha, bolacha de chope, porta-copos |
| Français | sous-verre, dessous de verre, dessous-de-bouteille |
| Deutsch | Bierdeckel, Untersetzer |
| Italiano | sottobicchiere, sottobottiglia, sottocoppa, tondino |
| Ελληνικά | σουβέρ souvér |
| Русский | подста́вка |
| Tiếng Việt | giấy lót li, lót cốc |
| עברית | תחתית takhtít |
noun useless compact disc or DVD
| Español | disco (de mierda) |
|---|
Talk about this word "coaster." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/coaster. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. coaster. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/coaster "coaster." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/coaster.Cite this
@misc{coaster_2026,
title = {coaster},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/coaster},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
