beachcomber

noun

beach·​comb·​er ˈbēch-ˌkō-mər How to pronounce beachcomber (audio)
plural beachcombers
1
: a person who searches along a shore (as for seashells, driftwood, or salable refuse)
2
dated : a non-Indigenous person (such as a European castaway or convict) living as a drifter or loafer especially on the islands of the South Pacific (such as Micronesia)
beachcomb intransitive verb
beachcombed; beachcombing; beachcombs
Beachcombing for antique blue glass beads … Karl Luntta
My mother loved to beachcomb after high tide on stormy days … Motor Boating & Sailing

Examples of beachcomber in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Wally Wheeler, the beachcomber who had found Claire's body, started writing long, odd letters to her parents. Richard Schlesinger, CBS News, 6 July 2024 Local beachcombers found a deep-sea angler fish known as the Pacific football fish just south of Cannon Beach, Oregon, which is around an hour and a half drive northwest of Portland, said the Seaside Aquarium in a Facebook post on May 18. Julia Gomez, USA TODAY, 20 May 2024 To its west, 73 miles of Pacific coastline lure beachcombers and cold-water surfers to its sandy shores and marine life lovers to its teaming tide pools. Jd Shadel, Condé Nast Traveler, 14 Mar. 2023 In May, beachcombers discovered a female deep-sea anglerfish washed up on the sand in Oregon. Christian Thorsberg, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for beachcomber 

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of beachcomber was in 1836

Dictionary Entries Near beachcomber

Cite this Entry

“Beachcomber.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beachcomber. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

beachcomber

noun
beach·​comb·​er ˈbēch-ˌkō-mər How to pronounce beachcomber (audio)
1
: a drifter or loafer especially on a South Pacific island
2
: a person who searches along a beach (as for seashells or items to sell)

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