caster
caster Lexical Profile
caster Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Each of a set of small swiveling wheels fixed to the legs or base of a heavy piece of furniture or equipment so that it can be moved easily.
"The heavy oak desk was mounted on brass casters so it could be rolled across the study."
A person or machine that casts something, such as afishing line, molten metal in a foundry, or spells in a fantasy game.
"The experienced fly caster placed his lure gently onto the surface of the stream."
A small container with a perforated top used for sprinkling sugar, salt, pepper, or other condiments at the table.
"She filled the silver caster with finely ground sugar before setting the dining table."
The angular inclination of a vehicle's steering pivot axis from the vertical, which helps the front wheels return to a straight position after a turn.
"The mechanic adjusted the caster and camber angles during the front-end alignment."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'caster' (a swiveling wheel, a shaker, or one who throws) with its homophone 'castor' (a genus of beavers, an aromatic secretion, or castor oil), though 'castor' is also used as a standard British spelling for the wheel and sugar shaker.
• Rhymes for caster
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed in Middle English as an agent noun from the verb 'cast' (from Old Norse 'kasta', meaning to throw) plus the suffix '-er'. The senses referring to a small condiment shaker and a swiveling furniture wheel developed in the 17th and 18th centuries.