Coster
/ˈkɒs.tə/noun
British slang for a street trader or costermonger, especially one who sells fruit and vegetables from a cart or stall.
Did you know?The word is a clipped form of costermonger, itself built from costard (an old apple name) plus monger, so a “coster” is literally tied to the fruit-selling underworld of the market.
Etymological Timeline
Middle English
English
costard
“A large apple; later, a fruit or produce item sold in markets.”
Middle English
English
monger
“A dealer or trader in a specified commodity.”
16th Century
English
costermonger
“A street seller of fruit and vegetables, especially in London.”
19th Century
English
coster
“A shortened form of costermonger, meaning a street hawker or stallholder.”
Modern English
English
coster
“A British informal word for a street trader, especially one selling produce.”