border
BOR-der
/ˈbɔːrdər/
A line separating two political or geographical areas, especially countries.
Can be a physical barrier or an invisible legal line.
The story behind the word. From the Old French 'bordure', meaning 'edge' or 'rim'. It originally referred to the decorative edge of a shield.
Word relationships
- frontier: A frontier often implies an undeveloped or unexplored area at the edge of a settled region.
Commonly confused with
- boundary: A border is specifically between countries; a boundary can be between any two things.
Word family
- borderline (noun): A line marking a boundary.
Collocations
- cross the border
- border control
- border crossing
- international border
Example sentences
- "The border between the two countries was marked by a simple stone fence." A travel description.
- "The border is a line which is both a barrier and a bridge." A political statement.
Memory hook
A 'border' is the 'board' (edge) of a country. The edge of the map.
When not to use
Do not confuse with 'boundary', which is more general (e.g., the boundary of a property).
Fun facts
- The border between Canada and the United States is the longest undefended border in the world.
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