border

noun bor·der \ ˈbȯr-dər \

Updated on: 12 May 2018

Definition of border

1 : an outer part or edge

at the borders of the forest

2 textiles : an ornamental design at the edge of a fabric or rug

3 : a narrow bed of planted ground along the edge of a lawn or walkway

a border of tulips

4 : boundary

on the border between New York and Canada

crossed the border into Italy

5 : a plain or decorative margin around printed matter

wedding invitations with a delicate gold leaf border

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bordered

play \-dərd\ adjective

See border defined for English-language learners

See border defined for kids

Examples of border in a Sentence

He grew up in Malaysia, near the Indonesian border.
They live just beyond the western border of the park.
the border of the Sahara
The quilt is quite plain except for its colorful border.
a broad red border on each plate
He planted pansies in the border.

Recent Examples of border from the Web

For a recent issue of The New Yorker, staff writer Nick Paumgarten floated the rugged canyons of the Rio Grande to witness the irreplaceable wilderness that Trump’s proposed border wall would destroy.

— aaron gilbreath, Longreads, "‘Like Floating Through a Library’: An Interview with Nick Paumgarten," 7 May 2018
Unlike human visitors, the binational elk don't need a passport to cross the border.

— andrea sachs, chicagotribune.com, "This summer, stop by the 23 U.S. locales that have risen to become UNESCO World Heritage sites," 4 May 2018
The quarantine indicates that perhaps there are other uncontaminated regions trying to keep the rain out of the border.

— refinery29.com, "This Is How The Deadly Rain Wiped Out Everyone On The Rain," 4 May 2018
While a typical immigrant who tries to cross the border can be quickly detained and deported, vulnerable immigrants are granted special protections.

— NBC News, "Fact check: Trump's misleading claims about 'catch and release'," 2 May 2018
There is an emphasis on representing people who have crossed the border.

— kerry cardoza, Chicago Reader, "The American dream, in frosting: the art of Yvette Mayorga," 25 Apr. 2018
The 15-suite Angama Mara is relatively new, luxurious, and close to the Mara River, which crosses the border between Kenya and Tanzania.

— sophy roberts, Condé Nast Traveler, "The Ultimate Safari: Seeing the Great Migration in Kenya and Tanzania," 25 Apr. 2018
The airport is a claustrophobic nightmare in itself: Thousands of people rushing to cross the border, as ICE agents patrol menacingly, detaining travelers without the right papers.

— anna silman, The Cut, "The Most Traumatizing Moments From The Handmaid’s Tale Season Premiere," 25 Apr. 2018
Brian Bielawski and Michell Amezcua crossed the border from northwest Indiana to peruse the records at Illiana on Saturday.

— frank vaisvilas, Daily Southtown, "Record Store Day releases draw serious collectors, online entrepreneurs," 24 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'border.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of border

Middle English bordure, from Anglo-French, from border to border, from Old French bort border, of Germanic origin; probably akin to Old English bord board

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year