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Definition of drifter

drifter

/ˈdrɪftər/
drif · ter
Plural:drifters
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drifter Lexical Profile

drifter Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A person who moves continually from place to place without a permanent home, regular job, or clear purpose in life.

Example

"The novel follows a solitary drifter who travels across the country taking temporary seasonal jobs."

2

A fishing boat equipped for drift-netting, which catches fish such as herring or mackerel in long vertically suspended nets that drift with the tide.

Example

"Several old wooden drifters were moored along the harbor wall after returning from the North Sea."

3

A free-floating oceanographic buoy or instrument designed to move with ocean currents and transmit data on water movement, temperature, and salinity.

Example

"Researchers deployed satellite-tracked drifters to map the circulation patterns of the surface current."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Rhymes for drifter

• Nearby Words

dribbler
dribbly
drift
drifter
driftfish
drifting
driftnet

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Drifter. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/drifter
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