Bolt or boult?
bolt is a noun meaning “A (usually) metal fastener consisting of a cylindrical body that is threaded…”; boult is a verb meaning “Alternative form of bolt (“to sift”)”. In written English (wordfreq, 2021 data) bolt is about 56 times as common as boult.
What is the difference between bolt and boult?
| bolt | boult | |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | noun, verb, adverb | verb |
| Meaning | A (usually) metal fastener consisting of a cylindrical body that is threaded, with a larger head on one end. It can be inserted into an unthreaded hole up to… A sliding pin or bar in a lock or latch mechanism To connect or assemble pieces using a bolt | Alternative form of bolt (“to sift”) |
| Example | Bolt the vice to the bench | none recorded |
| Forms | bolts | boults, boulting, boulted |
| Pronunciation | /bɒlt/ /bəʊlt/ [bɔʊɫt] | not recorded |
| In writing | 11 times per million words | about once in every 5 million words |
Sources: bolt and boult in the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Every current meaning of bolt and boult
bolt
- 1
A (usually) metal fastener consisting of a cylindrical body that is threaded, with a larger head on one end. It can be inserted into an unthreaded hole up to the head, with a nut then threaded on the…
- 2
To connect or assemble pieces using a bolt
Bolt the vice to the bench
- 3
Suddenly; straight; unbendingly
The soldiers stood bolt upright for inspection
- 4
To sift, especially through a cloth
- 5
A sieve, especially a long fine sieve used in milling for bolting flour and meal; a bolter
- 6
A sliding pin or bar in a lock or latch mechanism
- 7
To affix in a crude or unnatural manner
- 8
To sift the bran and germ from wheat flour
Graham flour is unbolted flour; in contrast, some other flours have been bolted
boult
- 1
Alternative form of bolt (“to sift”)
Source: the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); obsolete, archaic, dialect and rare senses left out.
Which is more common, bolt or boult?
bolt appears 11 times per million words; boult about once in every 5 million words.
bolt 11 times per million wordsboult about once in every 5 million words
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).