duckboard

noun

duck·board | \ ˈdək-ˌbȯrd

How to pronounce duckboard (audio)

\

Definition of duckboard

: a boardwalk or slatted flooring laid on a wet, muddy, or cold surface —usually used in plural

Did You Know?

The word duckboard was created during the early 20th century to describe the boards or slats of wood laid down to provide safe footing for the soldiers of World War I across wet or muddy ground in trenches or camps. The original duckboards didn't always work as intended though. According to one soldier, duckboards came by their name because someone walking on wet duckboards was liable to slide off them much like water slides off a duck's back. Today's duckboards appear in all kinds of places - from marshes to the floors of saunas. The word duck itself has been part of the English language since the days of Old English, when it had the form "dŪce."

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about duckboard

Listen to Our Podcast about duckboard

Theme music by Joshua Stamper ©2006 New Jerusalem Music/ASCAP

Dictionary Entries near duckboard

duck-billed platypus

Statistics for duckboard

Last Updated

23 Apr 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for duckboard

The first known use of duckboard was in 1916

See more words from the same year

Comments on duckboard

What made you want to look up duckboard? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

WORD OF THE DAY

demeanor

behavior toward others

Test Your Vocabulary

Words for Summer: A Quiz

Which of the following words means “of or relating to summer”?

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ