Coastal

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /ˈkəʊstəl/

Definitions

1. Located near or alongside the sea or ocean, typically referring to regions, areas, or features adjacent to a shoreline
2. Relating to or situated along the boundary of a sea or ocean, often describing geographical locations, ecosystems, or human settlements
3. Pertaining to areas that lie next to the sea or ocean, frequently encompassing environments, habitats, or communities along shorelines

Etymology: "Coastal" is a plain formation: the noun "coast" with the adjective-forming suffix "-al" attached. The suffix comes from Latin "-ālis", which English took in through Old French "-al" and then Middle English "-al", so it adds the sense "relating to" to whatever it is attached to. "Coastal" therefore means something like "pertaining to the coast." The surprise lies in the noun it is built on. "Coast" came into English from Old French "coste", which descends from Latin "costa", meaning "rib" or "side." The idea was of the land's side, the edge that runs along something, much as a ribcage runs along the body. Over time that sense of a flank or edge narrowed to the boundary where land meets the sea. "Coastal" has a close relative in "costal," which also comes from Latin "costa" and means "relating to the ribs," as in "costal cartilage." The two words are doublets: same origin, different routes into English, one through the body and one through the shoreline. Both share that original image of a side or edge.

Synonyms: shoreline, littoral, maritime, oceanfront, waterfront

Antonyms: inland, interior, remote, faraway, distant