1. The branch of a nation's armed forces that is responsible for coastal defense, protection of life and property at sea, and enforcement of customs, immigration, and navigation laws.
2. A member of a coast guard.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.