Board
/bɔːrd/noun
A flat, thin piece of wood; also a surface, committee, or meal provided as lodging.
Did you know?The word’s history shows how a simple piece of wood became a social and political word: in English, a board could be a plank, a table, a governing body, or the meals served at that table.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*bʰer-
“to carry, bear”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*bordą
“a plank, board, or shield”
Old English
English
bord
“a plank, table, shield, or side of a ship”
Middle English
English
bord
“a plank; a table; a meal; a governing body”
Modern English
English
board
“a flat piece of wood; a table; a committee; lodging and meals”