toaster

¹ American  

[toh-ster] / ˈtoʊ stər /

noun

1. an instrument or appliance for toasting bread, muffins, etc.

2. a person who toasts something.

---

toaster ² American  

[toh-ster] / ˈtoʊ stər /

noun

1. a person who proposes or joins in a toast to someone or something.

---

toaster British  

/ ˈtəʊstə /

noun

1. a device for toasting bread, usually electric, and often equipped with an automatic timer

---

Etymology

Origin of toaster¹

First recorded in 1575–85; toast ¹ + -er ¹

Origin of toaster²

First recorded in 1695–1705; toast ² + -er ¹

Explanation

A toaster is a device in your kitchen that you use, surprisingly enough, to make toast. You can toast bread in an oven instead, but it's easier with a toaster. The pop-up toaster was invented in 1921, and those of us who prefer our bread warm and crispy are glad. Before the electric toasters we're familiar with (and their relatives, small plug-in toaster ovens), toast was made by putting bread slices inside long-handled metal frames and holding them over a fire. You can also use this noun to mean "person giving a toast," but this is less common.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

toaster

"They started coming from everywhere, from the wi-fi router, under the kettle, the toaster and all the switchboards. We would cook and they would keep coming from the sockets, from under the microwave."

From BBC ● May 28, 2026

Plucky home qualifier Maddison Inglis plans to do a bit of shopping with her unexpected Australian Open windfall -- and a toaster and kettle top her wish list.

From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026

Leslie Serro, vice president of marketing for Pop-Tarts, said the toaster pastry saw its highest volume of brand searches in more than 15 years on last year’s game day.

From MarketWatch ● Dec. 12, 2025

Lotus Two Slice Toaster – My trusty $20 toaster recently gave up the ghost, and I didn’t realize how much I’d been settling until I dropped a bagel into the Lotus two-slice.

From Salon ● Nov. 20, 2025

I pop the last four chicken nuggets into the toaster and jiggle the broken lever until it stays in the down position.

From "The Benefits of Being an Octopus" by Ann Braden