A fascinating origin from the New Oxford American Dictionary:
costermonger is an apple-seller, among other things, and the "coster" part comes from "costard," a large ribbed cooking apple. "Costard" also used to be used to refer humorously to a person's head, naturally enough. It is derived from the Latin "costa," for rib or side. The word coast is also derived from this root, coming from the phrase "side of the sea."
Comments by zentennum
zentennum commented on the word costermonger
I found this word in the Brothers Karamazov
A fascinating origin from the New Oxford American Dictionary:
costermonger is an apple-seller, among other things, and the "coster" part comes from "costard," a large ribbed cooking apple. "Costard" also used to be used to refer humorously to a person's head, naturally enough. It is derived from the Latin "costa," for rib or side. The word coast is also derived from this root, coming from the phrase "side of the sea."
August 18, 2011
zentennum commented on the word trippant
from "tripping," like a deer's walk
August 23, 2009
zentennum commented on the word fustian
n. stout fabric; adj. pompous, worthless
August 23, 2009
zentennum commented on the word farl
a thin circular cake of flour or oatmeal
August 23, 2009
zentennum commented on the word tonsure
in Joyce's Ulysses at least twice
August 23, 2009