bord

Bord is a term found in several Germanic languages with related meanings centered on a flat surface, a table, or an edge. In Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish, bord generally denotes a table or a dining surface, and it can also refer to a board or plank in broader contexts. In Dutch, bord is commonly used for a plate (a dish) and can also appear in contexts referring to a flat surface or board, depending on the setting.

In French, bord means an edge or border and is used in many everyday expressions, such as au bord de la mer (by the sea) or le bord du chemin (the edge of the path). The sense of boundary or boundary-like limits contrasts with the furniture-oriented senses found in Scandinavian languages, illustrating the semantic breadth across languages that share historical roots.

Etymology and cognates: bord is related to the English board and the German Bord, all tracing back to Proto-Germanic origins associated with a flat surface or edge. The term’s exact sense has diverged in various languages over time, producing a range from furniture and surfaces to boundaries and margins.

Usage and names: bord also appears as a surname and in various place names and organizational titles in different regions, reflecting its broader linguistic footprint. In English-language contexts, bord is uncommon and usually encountered as a historic or regional spelling, a surname, or within borrowed or direct-language phrases rather than as a standard noun.