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 pair of hinged boards one of which has a slate with data identifying a piece of film and which are banged together in front of a motion-picture camera at the start of a take to facilitate editing

called also clapper board

clapboard transitive verb

Examples of clapboard in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Eureka Springs, Arkansas The entire downtown of Eureka Springs is part of the National Register of Historic Places: Admire the preserved Victorian architecture and make special note of Hatchet Hall, the former clapboard home of hatchet-wielding temperance movement leader Carry A. Nation. —Ashlea Halpern, AFAR Media, 1 Aug. 2025

The architect created an exterior that blends crisp clapboard siding with an impressive brick accent, while the interior layout creates an easy flow that connects one spacious room to another. —James Alexander, Hartford Courant, 22 June 2025

The clapboard exterior is done up in an of-the-moment butter-yellow shade. —Tori Latham, Robb Report, 21 June 2025

Materials also differed based on the region, with brick being popular in the South and clapboard in the Northeastern states. —Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 May 2025

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