buster
noun
buster is spelled B-U-S-T-E-R: 6 letters and 2 syllables. It appears 3.0 times per million words in written English, the 15,613th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data, counting Buster, the name). As a noun, buster means “Someone who or something that bursts, breaks, or destroys a specified thing” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of buster is busters.
How many letters and syllables are in buster?
| Letters | 6: B-U-S-T-E-R |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 3.0 times per million words; the 15,613th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is buster?
Buster appears 3.0 times per million words in written English, the 15,613th most frequent word form in the list. The list counts every capitalisation together, so this includes Buster, the name.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce buster?
- Australia
- US
Buster has 2 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: EN-AU_ck1_buster.ogg, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Wodencafe-buster.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of buster
- busters plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does buster mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
colloquialSomeone who or something that bursts, breaks, or destroys a specified thing.
- 2
slangForming compounds denoting a team, weapon, or device specialized in the destruction of the first element.
- 3
UScolloquialdatedslangA broncobuster.
- 4
colloquialslangForming compounds denoting an agent or agency tasked with reducing or eliminating the first element.
Men nicknamed him the ‘Booze Buster’, and cartoonists loved to picture him, revolver in hand,... fighting the demon rum.
- 5
datedslangSomeone or something remarkable, especially for being loud, large, etc.
- 6
colloquialdatedslangA form of address, particularly of men: guy, dude, fella, mack, buddy, loser. (Originally as 'old buster'.)
- 7
obsoleteslangA loaf of bread.
- 8
obsoleteslangA drinking spree, a binge.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Buster in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | Brecher, Aufbrecher, Knacker, Zersprenger , Freundchen, Kerlchen |
| French | pote |
| Spanish | tipo, tío, amigo , boludo, huevón |
| Portuguese | otário |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does buster come from?
Originally a dialectal variant of burster; later influenced by bust + -er. The combining form of the term has appeared from the early 20th century but been especially prolific during three periods: in the 1930s, owing to the success of the radio series Gang Busters; in the 1940s, owing to its appearance as military slang; and in the 1980s, owing to the success of the movie Ghostbusters.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).