border

BOR-dur/ˈbɔɹ.dɚ/SayBAW-duh/ˈbɔː.də/AUS/ˈbɔə.də/

Pluralborders

Verbborders, bordering, bordered

10 meanings of border

Practice

1
between countriesnouncountable or uncountable
The line that separates two countries or areas.
Like a line drawn on the ground that shows where one country stops and the next one starts.
Guards check passports at the border between the two countries.
They crossed the border into Mexico late at night.
UsageSay at the border (where you cross), on the border (a town there), and cross the border into a country.
Similarfrontier, boundary, line
Note
2
share a boundaryverbtransitive or intransitive
To be next to another country or area, with a shared border between them.
Like two yards that share the same fence.
Canada borders the United States.
Several small farms border a large forest.
UsageYou can say Spain borders Portugal or Spain borders on Portugal. Both mean the same.
3
outer edgenouncountable
The outer edge or side of something.
Like the edge of a plate where the food stops.
She sat near the border of the field.
A thin gray line marked the border of the photograph.
Similaredge, boundary, perimeter, margin, periphery
Oppositecenter, middle
Note
4
decorative stripnouncountable
A strip of decoration that goes around the edge of something.
Like a frame around a picture.
The tablecloth had a pretty flower border.
She sewed a red border onto the blanket.
Similaredging, trim, frieze, band
Note
5
come closeverbintransitive
To come very close to a state or quality without quite reaching it.
Like standing right at the edge of a pool without falling in.
His rude jokes border on cruelty.
Her patience bordered on the saintly.
UsageOften used with something bad: borders on cruelty. Verges on means about the same.
Similarverge, approach, approximate
Note
6
verbtransitive
To form the edge of something, running along it or all the way around it.
Like a fence that runs all the way around a yard.
Tall hedges border the garden.
Bright flowers bordered the path on both sides.
Similarsurround, enclose, line, edge, flank
7
nouncountable
A long, narrow piece of ground where flowers and plants are grown.
Like a long flower bed running along the side of a lawn.
The border by the front path is full of roses and daisies.
The border was full of bright summer flowers.
Similarbed, flowerbed

Less common meanings

8
decorate the edgeverbtransitive
To add a strip of decoration around the edge of something.
Like sewing a ribbon around the edge of a blanket.
She bordered the quilt with blue fabric.
They border each tile with thin gold paint.
Similaredge, trim, fringe
9
noun
In computing, a piece of text that appears both at the start and at the end of a given piece of text.
10
nounBritish
A lively folk dance from the English counties near the Welsh border, performed with painted faces and ragged coats.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of border apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Middle English "bordure", which came from Old French "bordeure". This had a Germanic origin, from Frankish "*bord".

Checked 5 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

English border derives from Middle English bordure. en.wiktionary.org
Middle English bordure came from Old French bordeure. en.wiktionary.org
The Old French word ultimately had a Germanic origin, from reconstructed Frankish *bord. en.wiktionary.org