coaster
UK[ˈkəʊstə]US[ˈkoʊstər]
n
a small, flat mat placed under a glass or bottle to protect a table from condensation or heat.
n
a ship that sails along a coast, trading from port to port.
n
a roller coaster.
n
a person or thing that coasts, especially a sled for coasting down a hill.
Morpheme Breakdown
coast
er
coast
shore
er
agent suffix
Etymology
the word 'coaster' originates from the verb 'coast', which itself evolved from the latin noun 'costa', meaning "rib" or "side". this anatomical term was extended in old french to denote the side of a landmass, i.e., the seashore. the agent suffix '-er' was then appended, creating a noun for something associated with a coast. initially, it referred to a vessel trading along the shoreline. the modern sense of a protective mat derives from the idea of an object that "coasts" or travels along a table surface, much like a ship along a coast, and which serves the vessel (the glass or bottle).
Analysis
Structure: coast (shore) + er (agent suffix)
coast (from middle english 'coste', from old french 'coste', from latin 'costa' meaning "rib, side, flank"; functional role: root, denoting the idea of a side or edge). er (from old english '-ere', agent noun suffix; functional role: suffix, denoting a person or thing that performs an action or is associated with something).
Examples
she placed her drink on a cork coaster to prevent a ring on the wooden table.
in the 19th century, the coaster transported goods between small coastal towns.
the children screamed with delight as the coaster plunged down the steep track.