toaster

¹ American  

[toh-ster] / ˈtoʊ stər /

noun

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

2. a person who toasts something.

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toaster ² American  

[toh-ster] / ˈtoʊ stər /

noun

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

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toaster British  

/ ˈtəʊstə /

noun

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

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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

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

Or a gridiron celebration of a certain toaster pastry?

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

The Hedgehog clears crumbs from the recesses of a toaster oven, the back of a pantry or that limbo area under the fridge.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 2, 2025

All those layers of sheepskin, it was probably like a toaster oven inside.

From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia