coast

Where does the word "coast" come from? It comes from Latin costa, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Coast’s story begins in Latin: costa meant “a rib, a side.” A rib, a side, extended to mean the edge or side of the land bordering the sea. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as coste. Carried into French for the land bordering the sea. It reached English by 1200s as coast. Settled as the English word for the land bordering the sea. Today, coast means the land bordering the sea.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient costa "a rib, a side", a rib, a side, extended to mean the edge or side of the land bordering the sea.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval coste "the land bordering the sea", carried into French for the land bordering the sea.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s coast "the land bordering the sea", settled as the English word for the land bordering the sea.