Wordiyocost
Old FrenchVariants
Related Roots
About This Root
From Old French coste (rib, side), later 'expense', from Latin constare (to stand together, stand at a price). The 'rib/side' sense survives in coast (the side of the land by the sea) and coastal. The financial sense dominates modern usage — cost (price), costly (expensive), cost-effective (worth the expense). An interesting case of a body-part metaphor becoming economic vocabulary.
Associated Words
coast
The land along the sea; to move forward without effort
coastal
Relating to or located near the coast
cost
To incur a charge of; to require payment of a (specified) price; Amount of money, time, etc. that is required or used
cost-effective
Providing good value relative to cost; economical
cost-effectively
In a cost-effective, economical manner
costly
Expensive; involving great sacrifice or loss
costs
Amounts of money spent; legal expenses in a lawsuit