# bollard

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbɒləɹd/ · frequency rank #73,010

## Definitions
1. A strong vertical post of timber or iron, fixed to the ground and/or on the deck of a ship, to which the ship's mooring lines etc are secured.
2. A similar post preventing vehicle access to a pedestrian area, to delineate traffic lanes, or used for security purposes.

## Etymology
From Middle English bollard, probably from Middle English bole (“tree trunk”), from Old Norse bolr (“stump, trunk”), equivalent to bole + -ard (pejorative or diminutive suffix).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/bollard