Coast
/koʊst/
Definitions
2 meaningsThe land next to the sea or ocean.
/koʊst/
The land next to the sea
The ship sailed along the coast.
💡 Simply: Imagine a land meeting the ocean, like when a beach meets the sea—that’s the coast!
👶 For kids: The land near the ocean.
More Examples
Many birds live on the coast.
How It's Used
"The California coast is known for its beautiful beaches."
"We spent a week relaxing on the coast."
To sail along a coast.
/koʊst/
To sail along or near a coast.
The boat coasted along the rocky coast.
💡 Simply: Picture a boat slowly moving near the land by the sea—it's coasting along the shore!
👶 For kids: To sail close to land.
More Examples
They coasted the entire coastline.
How It's Used
"The ship coasted along the shoreline."
Idioms & expressions
on the coast
Located near the coast.
"Their house is on the coast."
From Old French coste, from Latin costa "rib, flank, side", ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *kʷost-.
The word 'coast' has been used in English since the Middle Ages, referring primarily to the shoreline.
Memory tip
Think of a rib cage; the coast is the edge of the land, like the ribs of a body.
Word Origin
"rib, flank, side"