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border

Syllabification: (bor·der)
Pronunciation: /ˈbôrdər/

Translate border | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of border

noun

  • 1a line separating two political or geographical areas, especially countries:the German border with Denmark [as modifier]:border patrols
  • a district near a line separating two political or geographical areas:a refugee camp on the border
  • 2the edge or boundary of something, or the part near it:the northern border of their distribution area figurativethe unknown regions at the borders of physics and electronics
  • 3a band or strip, especially a decorative one, around the edge of something:put a white border around the picture
  • a strip of ground along the edge of a lawn or path for planting flowers or shrubs:the garden borders are planted with perennials

verb

[with object]
  • form an edge along or beside (something):a pool bordered by palm trees
  • (of a country or area) be adjacent to (another country or area):regions bordering Azerbaijan [no object]:the park is east of San Diego, bordering on Mexico
  • [no object] (border on) be close to an extreme condition:Sam arrived in a state of excitement bordering on hysteria
  • (usually be bordered with) provide (something) with a decorative edge:a curving driveway bordered with chrysanthemums

Derivatives

borderless

adjective

Origin:

late Middle English: from Old French bordeure; ultimately of Germanic origin and related to board

border in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of border in the British & World English dictionary