What does castoff mean?
A castoff is something that has been thrown away, rejected, or given up by its original owner — most often an article of clothing passed along to another wearer, though the word extends to any discarded object and, less charitably, to people who have been abandoned or rejected by society. It functions as both a noun ('the box was full of his castoffs') and an adjective ('a castoff sofa left on the curb'). The word derives from the verb phrase 'to cast off', meaning to discard or let go, and it retains that sense of dismissal in every use. Its tone is informal to neutral; applied to garments it can suggest thrift and practicality, while applied to people it sounds harsh and dismissive. Closely related compounds such as hand-me-down and reject capture overlapping shades of meaning.
Something that has been discarded or rejected, especially an article of clothing no longer wanted by its original owner.
"Her winter coat was a castoff from her older cousin."
Frequently used in the plural, 'castoffs', to refer to a collection of discarded items.
Discarded or rejected; thrown away by a previous owner.
"The puppy slept on a castoff blanket in the corner."
Standard plural, used when referring to multiple discarded items.
"The attic was cluttered with decades of family castoffs."
Every hand-me-down sweater you've ever worn was somebody's castoff — a word English built simply by slamming 'cast' and 'off' together.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of castoff
Castoff originated in the early seventeenth century as a straightforward compound of the verb phrase 'cast off', itself formed from Middle English 'casten' (from Old Norse 'kasta', to throw) plus the adverb 'off'. The compound first described things literally thrown away or shed, later narrowing toward discarded clothing. It shares its verbal root with other English compounds built on 'cast', including forecast, broadcast, and typecast.
Related word forms
How castoff is actually used
Generally informal to neutral in register. When used of people ('a castoff of society'), it carries a strongly negative, dehumanizing connotation. The plural 'castoffs' is common when referring collectively to discarded items.
Easily confused with castoff
'Cast off' is a two-word verb phrase meaning to throw away, discard, or release (as in casting off a boat's mooring lines), while 'castoff' as one word is the noun or adjective referring to the discarded thing itself.