hoverboard

1 of 2

noun

hov·​er·​board ˈhə-vər-ˌbȯrd 

ˈhä-

plural hoverboards

in science fiction

: a vehicle in the shape of a board that floats above the ground and is propelled without the use of wheels

Technically, a hoverboard is a levitating platform (that looks like a skateboard without wheels) that can be used for personal transportation. The term was invented for the movie Back to the Future II, where protagonist Marty McFly travels into the future to discover that teenagers are riding on levitating boards without wheels.

—Michael Nuñez

Hoverboard

2 of 2

trademark

Hov·​er·​board ˈhə-vər-ˌbȯrd 

ˈhä-

—used for an electrically-powered two-wheeled scooter without an upright handle

Word History

Etymology

Noun

hover entry 1 + board entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1988, in the meaning defined above