Bollard
/ˈbɒl.ɑːd/noun
A short, sturdy post used to control traffic or secure ships.
Did you know?Bollard likely began as a nautical term for a post or stump on a ship, and only later became the traffic-control barrier we know today.
Etymological Timeline
19th Century
English
bollard
“A short post used for mooring ships or, later, controlling vehicles.”
Early Modern English
English
bollard
“A post or stump used as a support or as a mooring point.”
Middle English
English
bolard
“A post, stump, or short upright support.”
Old French
OF
bouleau?
“Uncertain earlier forms are attested in dialectal and nautical usage, referring to a post or stump.”
Origin uncertain
Unclear
?
“The ultimate origin is uncertain; proposals connect it with a word for a tree trunk or bole, but this is not securely established.”