# border

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbɔə.də/ · frequency rank #2,030

## Definitions
1. The line or frontier area separating political or geographical regions.
2. The outer edge of something.
3. A decorative strip around the edge of something.
4. A strip of ground in which ornamental plants are grown.
5. Border morris or border dancing.
6. A string that is both a prefix and a suffix of another particular string.

## Etymology
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.
Further cognate to English board, Old Norse barð (“edge”), Swedish bård (“edge”), also English beard, German Bart (“beard”) (edge of the face) etc.

## Easily confused with
- **bore** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-bore)
- **bored** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-bored)
- **boxer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-boxer)
- **borne** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-borne)
- **bower** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-bower)
- **boyer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-boyer)
- **bores** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-bores)
- **bother** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-bother)
- **burden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-burden)
- **burger** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-burger)
- **burner** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-burner)
- **bowler** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-bowler)
- **Borneo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-borneo)
- **bowser** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-bowser)
- **Bowden** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-bowden)
- **Borges** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-borges)
- **bowyer** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-bowyer)
- **borders** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-borders)
- **broader** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-broader)
- **boulder** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/border-vs-boulder)

## Common misspellings (9)
`bborder`, `bodrer`, `bordder`, `borderr`, `bordre`, `boredr`, `borrder`, `broder`, `obrder`

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