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

Its enrollment peaked at 120 and fell to about 40 students this year, spread around a few white clapboard buildings indistinguishable from the houses of the surrounding farm town of about 1,300 people. —Jon Marcus, NPR, 13 Apr. 2026

From the circular window on the second story to the rectangular inset windows on the lower level, the clapboard-siding exterior gives a modern twist on farmhouse style. —Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Apr. 2026

Clad in gray-green clapboards and unified by a chic sensibility across the new and old sections, the home feels both cohesive and inviting. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 6 Apr. 2026

Inside the walls of the three picturesque New England clapboards, there are rooms and amenities aplenty. —Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 10 Mar. 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