ballaster
|bal-a-ster|
🇺🇸
/ˈbæl.ə.stər/
🇬🇧
/ˈbæl.ə.stə/
one who/apply adds weight for stability
Etymology
'ballaster' originates from English, formed by adding the agentive suffix '-er' to the noun 'ballast'.
'ballaster' developed from the Middle English noun 'balast' / 'ballast' (itself from earlier sources) by the regular addition of '-er' to indicate an agent or device that performs the action of ballasting.
Initially it referred specifically to a person who provided ballast for ships; over time it came to be used more generally for devices or people that add ballast to any system to stabilize it.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
an agent (person or device) that supplies or applies ballast to stabilize a vessel, vehicle, structure, or system; a thing used to provide ballast.
The ballaster fitted stones into the ship's hold to lower the center of gravity and reduce rolling.
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Antonyms
Verb 1
to add ballast to (a ship, vehicle, or other object) in order to stabilize or balance it; to weight down.
They ballastered the barge before the crossing to ensure it rode lower and steadier in heavy seas.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2026/01/06 06:08