Wordwyrt

accost

/əˈkɔːst/uh-KAWST
/əˈkɔst/uh-KAWST

Meaningto come up to the side

Common meaning: to approach and speak to boldly

‘to, towards’ + ‘a rib’ → accost

Journey through time

  1. Latincosta‘a rib’
  2. Frenchaccoster
  3. Englishaccost‘to approach and speak to boldly’ · today

ac- also in: accessaccordaccrueaccuseacquire

cost also in: coastintercostal

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin costa ‘a rib; a side’.

Did you know: our wording, based on Lewis & Short, Latin Dictionary (1879), entry costa, p. 476 · dictionary scan

Roots

  • costa Latin “a rib; a side”

Related words

coastcutletintercostal

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