Meanings
nounoff-islander (plural off-islanders)
plural off-islanders
- A person who is not from an island, especially a seasonal inhabitant or tourist.
- derogatorysometimesNantucketSomeone who was not born and raised on Nantucket.
Off-island was “abroad,” and off-islanders were spoken of as “strangers” or less politely as “coofs.”
2026 February 9 (last accessed), “Strangers, Coofs, and Washashores”, in Nantucket Historical Association, archived from the original on 27 May 2022, page 1
Origin
Cite this entry
APA
off-islander. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/off-islander
MLA
“off-islander.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/off-islander. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “off-islander,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/off-islander.
Source: off-islander on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.