clapboard

noun

clap·​board ˈkla-bərd  ˈkla(p)-ˌbȯrd 

1

archaic : a size of board for making staves and wainscoting

2

: a narrow board usually thicker at one edge than the other used for siding

3

ˈklap-ˌbȯrd  : a slate with information identifying a piece of film that is topped with a hinged arm which claps down to mark the start of a take (see take entry 2 sense 2a(1)) to facilitate editing

called also clapper board

clapboard transitive verb

Examples of clapboard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The clapboard, central-hall Georgian-style home also has a mid-to-late 19th century English barn and a brick carriage house. — Kaitlyn Keegan, Hartford Courant, 19 Sep. 2026

But like the building’s chipping paint and 100-year-old clapboards, that historic relationship is falling apart. — Rachel Siegel, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026

Its paint was peeling, clapboards were rotting, and a tarp covered a leaking roof, according to the Times. — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 28 Aug. 2026

The elegant white clapboard structure is the Martha-Mary Chapel, part of the Wayside Inn in Sudbury, Massachusetts. — Nicholas Derenzo, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

partial translation of Dutch klaphout stave wood

First Known Use

circa 1520, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for clapboard

• abhorred
• aboard
• accord
• adored
• afford
• award
• baseboard
• billboard
• blackboard
• boxboard
• breadboard
• broadsword

Kids Definition

clapboard

noun

clap·​board ˈklab-ərd  ˈkla(p)-ˌbō(ə)rd 

-ˌbȯ(ə)rd

: a narrow board thicker at one edge than at the other used to cover the sides of wooden buildings

clapboard verb