Etymology

coaster

coast·er
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Today it means: A person who originates from or inhabits a coastal area. Full definition →

Middle English coste ← Old French coste ← Latin costa
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coaster · noun1

  1. Latin · derived fromcosta“rib; side, wall”
  2. Old French · derived fromcoste“rib; side of an object; coast”
  3. Middle English · inherited fromcoste“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”
  4. English todaycoaster

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”).

coaster · noun2

  1. Latincosta
  2. Latincosticāre
  3. Old Frenchcostoier
  4. Middle Englishcosteien
  5. Englishcoast
  6. English todaycoaster

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.

Words from the same roots

Middle Englishcoste all →

costcoast

Old Frenchcoste all →

costcoastcutletcostard

Latincosta all →

costcoastcostacotecostalcutletcoteauDacostaCôte d'Orcottiseda Costa

Middle Englishcosteien all →

coast

Old Frenchcostoier all →

coast

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.