Meanings
border1
nounborder (countable and uncountable, plural borders)
plural borders
- countableuncountableThe line or frontier area separating political or geographical regions.
The border between Canada and USA is the longest in the world.
3 more examples
The identification of the border between England and Scotland always has been a source of interest to railway travellers. For many years, however, the exact points north of Berwick and Carlisle at which the Anglo-Scottish main lines passed from one country to the other were not defined, but the erection of clear and unmistakable lineside signs has put the matter beyond all doubt.
1950 January, “Crossing the Border”, in Railway Magazine, page 2The Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday the men had been killed on Tuesday in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province, on the border of Kandahar just north of the provincial capital Lashkar Gah.
2013, Nicholas Watt and Nick Hopkins, Afghanistan bomb: UK to 'look carefully' at use of vehicles(in The Guardian, 1 May 2013)23 June 2018, Mattha Busb, The Independent, Jogger crosses US-Canada border by mistake, is held for two weeks in detention centre A French tourist who accidentally crossed the border into the US from Canada during an evening jog was sent to a detention centre 125 miles away and held for two weeks until she was released.
- countableuncountableThe outer edge of something.
the borders of the garden
2 more examples
upon the borders of these solitudes
1843, Jeremy Bentham, Principles of Morals and Legislation, Fragment on Government, Civil Code, Penal Lawin the borders of death
a. 1678 (date written), Isaac Barrow, “(please specify the chapter name or sermon number)”, in The Works of Dr. Isaac Barrow. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to VII), London: A[braham] J[ohn] Valpy, […], published 1830–1831, →OCLC - countableuncountableA decorative strip around the edge of something.
a solid border around a table of figures
1 more example
There’s a nice frilly border around the picture frame.
- countableuncountableA strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown.
- UKuncountableBorder morris or border dancing.
verbborder (third-person singular simple present borders, present participle bordering, simple past and past participle bordered)
present singular third person borders · participle present bordering · participle past bordered · past bordered
- transitiveTo put a border on something.
- transitiveTo form a border around; to bound.
- intransitiveTo touch at a border (with on, upon, or with).
Connecticut borders on Massachusetts.
- intransitiveTo approach; to come near to; to verge (with on or upon).
Wit which borders upon profaneness […]deserves to be branded as folly.
1671, John Tillotson, “Sermon II. The Folly of Scoffing at Religion. 2 Pet[er] III. 3.”, in The Works of the Most Reverend Dr. John Tillotson, Late Lord Archbishop of Canterbury: […], London: […] B. Aylmer, […]; [a]nd W. Rogers, […], published 1696, →OCLC
Border2
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna line that indicates a boundary
Similar
nounthe boundary line or the area immediately inside the boundary
verbextend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle
verblie adjacent to another or share a boundary
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Old Frenchbordeure
- Middle Englishbordure
- Englishborder
Inherited from Middle English bordure, from Old French bordeure, of Germanic origin, from Frankish *bord, equivalent to modern French bord (“a border”) + -er. Akin to Middle High German borte (“border, trim”), German Borte (“ribbon, trimming”). Doublet of bordure. More at board. Not cognate to beard, although inside Germanic there may have been influence between the senses of these two roots: see e.g. Old Norse barð (“edge”).
More words from Middle English, Old French, Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans grens
- grensthe line or frontier area separating various territories
Ancient Greek ὅρος, ὅρος
- ὅρος (hóros)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- ὅρος (hóros)the outer edge of something
Arabic حَدّ, حُدُود
- حَدّ (ḥadd)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- حُدُود (ḥudūd)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- حَدّ (ḥadd)the outer edge of something
- حُدُود (ḥudūd)the outer edge of something
Basque muga
- mugathe line or frontier area separating various territories
Bengali সীমানা
- সীমানা (śimana)the line or frontier area separating various territories
Bulgarian гра́ница, край
- гра́ница (gránica)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- край (kraj)the outer edge of something
- ръб (răb)the outer edge of something
- грани́ча (graníča)(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Catalan frontera, vora
- fronterathe line or frontier area separating various territories
- vorathe outer edge of something
- orlathe outer edge of something
- orlaa decorative strip around the edge of something
- sanefaa decorative strip around the edge of something
- vorejar(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
- confrontar(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Chinese Mandarin 國境 /国境, 邊界 /边界
- 國境 /国境 (guójìng)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- 邊界 /边界 (biānjiè)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- 邊境 /边境 (biānjìng)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- 疆界 (jiāngjiè)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- 邊界 /边界 (biānjiè)the outer edge of something
- 境 (jìng)the outer edge of something
- 毗鄰 /毗邻 (pílín)(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
- 接壤 (jiērǎng)(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
- 交界 (jiāojiè)(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
- 接界 (jiējiè)(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Czech hranice, okraj
- hranicethe line or frontier area separating various territories
- okrajthe outer edge of something
- lema decorative strip around the edge of something
- záhona strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown
- ohraničit(transitive) to put a border on something
- ohraničovat(transitive) to put a border on something
- olemovat(transitive) to put a border on something
- hraničit(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Danish grænse, begrænse
- grænsethe line or frontier area separating various territories
- begrænse(transitive) to put a border on something
- grænse(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Dutch grens, rand
- grensthe line or frontier area separating various territories
- randthe outer edge of something
- bordera strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown
- begrenzen(transitive) to put a border on something
- grenzen aan(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Esperanto landlimo
- landlimothe line or frontier area separating various territories
Estonian piir, raam
- piirthe line or frontier area separating various territories
- raamthe outer edge of something
- piirthe outer edge of something
- raama decorative strip around the edge of something
- piiritlema(transitive) to put a border on something
Finnish raja, reuna
- rajathe line or frontier area separating various territories
- reunathe outer edge of something
- reunusthe outer edge of something
- boordia decorative strip around the edge of something
- reunusa decorative strip around the edge of something
- koristereunusa decorative strip around the edge of something
- kukkapenkkia strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown
- rajata(transitive) to put a border on something
- rajoittaa(transitive) to put a border on something
- rajautua(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
- rajoittua(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
French frontière, bord
- frontièrethe line or frontier area separating various territories
- bordthe outer edge of something
- bordurethe outer edge of something
- bordurea decorative strip around the edge of something
- parterrea strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown
- plate-bandea strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown
- délimiter(transitive) to put a border on something
- border(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
German Grenze, Rand
- Grenzethe line or frontier area separating various territories
- Randthe outer edge of something
- Randa decorative strip around the edge of something
- Beeta strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown
- Streifena strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown
- Rabattea strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown
- begrenzen(transitive) to put a border on something
- angrenzen(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
- säumen(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
- umranden(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
- einfassen(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Greek σύνορο, περίγυρος
- σύνορο (sýnoro)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- περίγυρος (perígyros)a decorative strip around the edge of something
- παρτέρι (partéri)a strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown
Hebrew גְּבוּל, גְּבוּל
- גְּבוּל (g'vúl)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- גְּבוּל (gvul)the outer edge of something
Hindi सीमा, सरहद
- सीमा (sīmā)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- सरहद (sarhad)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- सीमा (sīmā)the outer edge of something
- कोना (konā)a decorative strip around the edge of something
- केदार (kedār)a strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown
- क्यारी (kyārī)a strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown
Hungarian határ, szél
- határthe line or frontier area separating various territories
- szélthe outer edge of something
- szegélya decorative strip around the edge of something
- határol(transitive) to put a border on something
- behatárol(transitive) to put a border on something
- körülhatárol(transitive) to put a border on something
- határol(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
- határos(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Icelandic landamæri, mæri
- landamærithe line or frontier area separating various territories
- mærithe outer edge of something
Indonesian perbatasan
- perbatasanthe line or frontier area separating various territories
Irish teorainn, ciumhais
- teorainnthe line or frontier area separating various territories
- ciumhaisthe outer edge of something
- imeallthe outer edge of something
- ciumhaisa decorative strip around the edge of something
Italian confine, frontiera
- confinethe line or frontier area separating various territories
- frontierathe line or frontier area separating various territories
- confinethe outer edge of something
- orloa decorative strip around the edge of something
Japanese 国境, 地境
- 国境the line or frontier area separating various territories
- 地境the line or frontier area separating various territories
- 国界the line or frontier area separating various territories
- 境界 (kyōkai)the outer edge of something
Korean 국경, 국계
- 국경 (gukgyeong)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- 국계 (gukgye)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- 경계 (gyeonggye)the outer edge of something
Latin finis, margō
- finisthe line or frontier area separating various territories
- margōthe outer edge of something
- limesthe outer edge of something
- finisthe outer edge of something
Latvian robeža, robeža
- robežathe line or frontier area separating various territories
- robežathe outer edge of something
Lithuanian siena, ribotis
- sienathe line or frontier area separating various territories
- ribotis(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Malay sempadan
- sempadanthe line or frontier area separating various territories
Māori aukati, pakitaha
- aukatithe line or frontier area separating various territories
- pakitahathe outer edge of something
- taitapathe outer edge of something
- pakitahaa decorative strip around the edge of something
- pae(transitive) to put a border on something
Norwegian Bokmål grense, landegrense
- grensethe line or frontier area separating various territories
- landegrensethe line or frontier area separating various territories
- ytterkantthe outer edge of something
- kantthe outer edge of something
- randthe outer edge of something
- borda decorative strip around the edge of something
Polish granica, graniczyć
- granicathe line or frontier area separating various territories
- graniczyć(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Portuguese fronteira, raia
- fronteirathe line or frontier area separating various territories
- raiathe line or frontier area separating various territories
- bordathe outer edge of something
- margemthe outer edge of something
- orlaa decorative strip around the edge of something
- orlar(transitive) to put a border on something
- fazer fronteira com(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Punjabi ਸਰਹੱਦ, ਸੀਮਾ
- ਸਰਹੱਦ (sarhadda)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- ਸੀਮਾ (sīmā)the line or frontier area separating various territories
Romanian graniță, frontieră
- granițăthe line or frontier area separating various territories
- frontierăthe line or frontier area separating various territories
- bordurăthe outer edge of something
- marginethe outer edge of something
- granițăthe outer edge of something
- frontierăthe outer edge of something
- cantthe outer edge of something
Russian грани́ца, рубе́ж
- грани́ца (graníca)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- рубе́ж (rubéž)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- межа́ (mežá)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- кордо́н (kordón)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- грани́ца (graníca)the outer edge of something
- край (kraj)the outer edge of something
- кро́мка (krómka)the outer edge of something
- кайма́ (kajmá)a decorative strip around the edge of something
- бордю́р (bordjúr)a decorative strip around the edge of something
- фриз (friz)a decorative strip around the edge of something
- ограни́чивать (ograníčivatʹ)(transitive) to put a border on something
- ограни́чить (ograníčitʹ)(transitive) to put a border on something
- грани́чить (graníčitʹ)(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Scottish Gaelic iomall, oir
- iomallthe outer edge of something
- oirthe outer edge of something
Slovak hranica, okraj
- hranicathe line or frontier area separating various territories
- okrajthe outer edge of something
- ráma decorative strip around the edge of something
- okraja decorative strip around the edge of something
- lema decorative strip around the edge of something
- hraničiť(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Spanish borde, borde m cenefa
- bordethe outer edge of something
- borde m cenefaa decorative strip around the edge of something
- orlaa decorative strip around the edge of something
- orladuraa decorative strip around the edge of something
- parterrea strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown
- bordear(transitive) to form a border around; to bound
- lindar/limitar/colindar con(intransitive) to touch at a border
- bordear(intransitive) to approach; to come near to; to verge
Swahili mpaka
- mpakathe line or frontier area separating various territories
Swedish gräns, landamäre
- gränsthe line or frontier area separating various territories
- landamärethe line or frontier area separating various territories
- landamärenthe line or frontier area separating various territories
- märethe line or frontier area separating various territories
- ytterkantthe outer edge of something
- kantthe outer edge of something
- randthe outer edge of something
- brynthe outer edge of something
- bårda decorative strip around the edge of something
- kanta decorative strip around the edge of something
- gränsa till(transitive) to put a border on something
- gränsa till(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Tagalog hangganan
- hanggananthe line or frontier area separating various territories
Tamil எல்லை
- எல்லை (ellai)the line or frontier area separating various territories
Thai ชายแดน
- ชายแดน (chaai-dɛɛn)the line or frontier area separating various territories
Turkish hudut, sınır
- hudutthe line or frontier area separating various territories
- sınırthe line or frontier area separating various territories
- serhatthe line or frontier area separating various territories
- kenarthe outer edge of something
- süsa decorative strip around the edge of something
- sınırlamak(transitive) to put a border on something
- sınırdaş olmak(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Ukrainian кордо́н, грани́ця
- кордо́н (kordón)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- грани́ця (hranýcja)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- кордо́н (kordón)the outer edge of something
- межа́ (mežá)the outer edge of something
Urdu سِیما, سَرْحَد
- سِیما (sīmā)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- سَرْحَد (sarhad)the line or frontier area separating various territories
- حَد (had)the line or frontier area separating various territories
Vietnamese biên giới, rìa
- biên giớithe line or frontier area separating various territories
- rìathe outer edge of something
- giáp(transitive) to lie on, or adjacent to a border
Welsh ffin
- ffinthe line or frontier area separating various territories
Yiddish גרענעץ
- גרענעץ (grenets)the line or frontier area separating various territories
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with border
orderrecorderdisorderboarderwarderforderhoarderglobal ordermajor depressive disordernature-deficit disorderpayment ordershortboardersiphon recordersocial anxiety disorder
All rhymes →Sounds the same
boarder (horse–hoarse merger)boarder (horse–hoarse merger)
Anagrams
Cite this entry
APA
border. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/border
MLA
“border.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/border. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “border,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/border.
Source: border on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.