Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “coasting” come from?

Coasting comes from the English coast, derived from Middle English cooste, Old French coste, Latin costa meaning rib or side, and Proto-Indo-European kost-.

coasting (English): present participle of coast; The act of sailing...

Definitions

  1. present participle of coast; The act of sailing...

Ancestry of “coasting”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcoastThe edge of the land where it meets an ocean,...
2Middle Englishcoste—
3Old Frenchcostéside
4Latincostātus—
5Latincostaa rib; a side, a wall
6Proto-Indo-Europeankost-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kost- →