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coastal

Etymology and origin of the English word coastal

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1872

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˈkəʊstəl/ (UK); /ˈkoʊstəl/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from coast and -al.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of or relating to a coast or shore: 1872.[2]

Semantic evolution

Etymonline notes that the proper Latin form costal is used only of ribs.[2] The RAF's Coastal Command, which first operated over the sea from coastal bases, is a 20th-century use, and a coastal-defence ship was called a coastal in 1912.[4]

Timeline

  • 1872 – of a coast.[2]
  • 1912 – a coast-defence ship.[4]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Of, on or near a coast.

Word family

  • coastally
  • intercoastal
  • bicoastal

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  4. ^ a b Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
Cite this entry

“Coastal.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/coastal. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·