floater

noun

float·​er ˈflō-tər 

1

a

: one that floats

b

: a person who floats something

2

: a person who votes illegally in various polling places

3

a

: a person without a permanent residence or regular employment

b

: a worker who moves from job to job

especially : one without fixed duties

4

: a pitched, thrown, or hit ball that moves through the air relatively slowly with little or no spin or rotation

5

: a policy insuring specific items of personal property (such as jewelry or art)

6

: a bit of optical debris (such as a dead cell or cell fragment) in the vitreous humor or lens that may be perceived as a spot before the eye

also : a spot in the visual field due to such debris

—usually used in plural

7

US : floating holiday

Examples of floater in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

After the pass from Ingles, Randle immediately begins to go downhill, and drives his shoulder into the chest of Trey Lyles, bumping him off of his spot and allowing Randle to rise up for the floater. —Mikai Bruce, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024

Carrie thinks there are too many cooks in the kitchen, which offends Ellie, who sees this as a floater telling a second stew how to do her job. —Emma Soren, Vulture, 16 Sep. 2024

To be going full speed with a defender close behind you and still be able to get a floater to go that high off the glass is really special. —Mikai Bruce, Forbes, 24 Oct. 2024

Ridiculous Edwards floater has Steph dancing on the sideline 00:51 Contributions came from all over the U.S. roster. —Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News, 28 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1717, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Medical Definition

floater

noun

float·​er ˈflōt-ər 

: a bit of optical debris (as a dead cell or cell fragment) in the vitreous body or lens that may be perceived as a spot before the eye

also : a spot in the visual field due to such debris

—usually used in plural compare muscae volitantes

Legal Definition

floater

noun

float·​er

1

[from the notion that the policy “floats” with the goods it insures, wherever they might be located] : a policy or supplemental attachment to a policy insuring specific items of personal property (as jewelry or art)

specifically : a policy of insurance to protect against loss or damage of goods in transit or goods (as jewels) naturally subject to use in various places

called also floating policy

2

: a debt security that yields an indexed variable rate of interest

especially : floating rate note at note