drifter

American  

[drif-ter] / ˈdrɪf tər /

noun

1. a person or thing that drifts.

2. a person who goes from place to place, job to job, etc., remaining in each for a short period.

3. Also called drift boat.  a boat used in fishing with a drift net.

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drifter British  

/ ˈdrɪftə /

noun

1. a person or thing that drifts

2. a person who moves aimlessly from place to place, usually without a regular job

3. a boat used for drift-net fishing

4. nautical a large jib of thin material used in light breezes

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Etymology

Origin of drifter

First recorded in 1860–65; drift + -er ¹

Example Sentences

A swaggering drifter named Hal Carter arrives in town looking for work, and by sunset he has thrown the community, especially the fragile Madge Owens, into emotional turmoil.

From The Wall Street Journal

Collected by gliders, floats and drifters, these instruments provide valuable information about the most turbulent region of the hurricane environment, called the boundary layer, where the air meets the ocean.

From BBC

A drifter, he lived in Portugal's Algarve region, on and off, for years.

From BBC

“A man makes his choices,” Baldwin’s crusty, guilt-ridden drifter says to his grandkid at one point.

From Los Angeles Times

Kristofferson turned that tale into the story of two drifters, who find love on the road and are separated, eventually, by death.

From BBC

Related Words

• hobo
• transient
• unhoused person