drifter

[ drif-ter ]
/ ˈdrɪf tər /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR drifter ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a person or thing that drifts.
a person who goes from place to place, job to job, etc., remaining in each for a short period.
Also called drift boat. a boat used in fishing with a drift net.

QUIZZES

CHALLENGE YOURSELF WITH THESE WORDS FROM "LITTLE WOMEN"

"Little Women" may be a classic, but that doesn't mean we all know the meanings of the vocab words from the book. Can you define these words correctly and make Jo proud?
Question 1 of 10
earnest
full seriousness, as of intention or purpose.
a feeling of dread, anxiety, or anguish.
urgent character; imperativeness; insistence; importunateness.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of drifter

First recorded in 1860–65; drift + -er1

Words nearby drifter

drift netter, drift transistor, drift tube, driftage, driftbolt, drifter, driftfish, drifting cloud, the, driftless area, driftpin, driftwood
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to drifter

transient, hobo, itinerant, vagrant, tramp, nomad, vagabond, derelict

Example sentences from the Web for drifter

British Dictionary definitions for drifter

drifter
/ (ˈdrɪftə) /

noun

a person or thing that drifts
a person who moves aimlessly from place to place, usually without a regular job
a boat used for drift-net fishing
nautical a large jib of thin material used in light breezes
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012