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coastwise

coastwise

8.5
Along the coast rather than across open water
  • adverb
  • /ˈkoʊstˌwaɪz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : costero
  • We sailed coastwise from New York to Florida, stopping at various ports.

Examples

  • Cargo ships often travel coastwise to avoid rough open seas.

  • Many species migrate coastwise during certain times of the year.

  • The ship sailed coastwise to avoid storms.

  • They prefer to travel coastwise rather than taking the open sea route.

  • Cargo ships often travel coastwise to avoid rough open seas.

  • They prefer to travel coastwise rather than taking the open sea route.

  • We sailed coastwise from New York to Florida, stopping at various ports.

Synonyms

coastally
vscoastwise
3.9

Near the coast or by the sea

is used mainly for travel or shipping along the shoreline not across open sea
alongshore
vscoastwise
7.0

In a direction along the shore or coast

means travel or shipping that follows the shoreline as a route

Antonyms

141 3.7

At sea away from the land

Surface Forms

coastwise positive

Morphology

coastwise = coast (transparent) = coast + wise

The adverbial sense is produced by the same clear combination 'coast' + '-wise' meaning 'by or along the coast', which is a productive directional/manneral use.

Etymology

Coastwise is formed from coast (the land by the sea) and the ending -wise, meaning 'by' or 'in the manner of'. So to travel coastwise is to go 'along the coast' or 'by the shore', rather than across the open sea.