What does "spindrift" mean?
Sea spray (clouds of water droplets) blown from the tops of waves by the wind and whipped along the surface of the sea.
Spindrift
/ˈspɪndɹɪft/ noun
noun ·Rare ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Sea spray (clouds of water droplets) blown from the tops of waves by the wind and whipped along the surface of the sea.
- Grammar: spindrift is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: breaker, breakers, collar, foam.
- Usage evidence: Spindrift from the waves below was reaching the clifftop.
How to use "spindrift"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "spindrift" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "spindrift" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "spindrift" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "spindrift" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "spindrift" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "breaker" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "spindrift", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Sea spray (clouds of water droplets) blown from the tops of waves by the wind and whipped along the surface of the sea. countable, uncountable
"There was no snow as yet up here at Dare; but wild tempests shaking the house to its foundations; and brief gleams of stormy sunlight lighting up the grey spindrift as it was whirled shorewards from the breaking seas; […]"
- 2 spray blown up from the surface of the sea wordnet
- 3 Clouds of sand, snow, etc., whipped along the ground by the wind. broadly, countable, uncountable
Example
"Spindrift from the waves below was reaching the clifftop."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "spindrift"?
Common synonyms include: breaker, breakers, collar, foam, froth, head.
How do you use "spindrift" in a sentence?
Spindrift from the waves below was reaching the clifftop.
How do you pronounce "spindrift"?
Pronounced /ˈspɪndɹɪft/.
Etymology
Borrowed from Scots spindrift; further etymology uncertain. The Oxford English Dictionary suggests it is a variant of spoondrift (archaic), apparently due to the pronunciation of this word in southwestern Scotland, which is derived from spoon + drift (“mass of matter driven or forced onward together in a body, etc., especially by wind or water”); spoon is a variant of spoom (“to sail briskly with the wind astern, with or without sails hoisted”). However, this is doubted by the Scottish National Dictionary because spoondrift is attested later than spindrift and it seems unlikely that the Scots spelling would have superseded the English one, and because the early use of the Scots word in the form spenedrift by James Melville (1556–1614) is unlikely to have derived from spoondrift. The word was popularized in English from the late 19th century by its use in the novels of the Scottish-born author William Black (1841–1898): see, for example, the 1878 quotation.