Surfboard
SERF-bord
/ˈsɜːrfbɔːrd/
A long, buoyant, narrow board used in the water sport of surfing to ride waves toward the shore.
Refers to specialized equipment designed for balance and hydrodynamic speed on breaking ocean waves.
The story behind the word. Combines 'surf' (first recorded in 1685 describing heavy breaking seas) with 'board' (timber plank). Traditional Hawaiian surfboards (he'e nalu) were hand-carved from native koa wood.
Word relationships
- board: Board is the informal shorthand used by surfers when context is clear.
Commonly confused with
- boogie board: A boogie board (or bodyboard) is short, soft, and ridden lying down on your stomach, whereas a surfboard is rigid and stood upon.
Word family
- surfboarder (noun): a person riding a surfboard
- surfboarding (noun): the activity of surfing
Collocations
- ride a surfboard
- fiberglass surfboard
- surfboard leash
- wax a surfboard
Example sentences
- "He waxed his surfboard carefully before paddling out past the breaking ocean swell." Water sports
- "Brightly painted surfboards stood propped against the wooden wall of the beach shack." Beach lifestyle
Memory hook
A BOARD built to ride the OCEAN SURF. Ride the ocean waves on a board.
When not to use
Do not confuse with a paddleboard, windsurf board, or wakeboard, which differ in shape and use.
Fun facts
- Ancient Hawaiian royalty rode surfboards up to 18 feet long made from holy koa trees, while commoners rode shorter boards.
Explore more words
hydrodynamic, buoyancy, specialized, buoyant, tsunami, submarine
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.