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baseboard

American  
[beys-bawrd, -bohrd] / ˈbeɪsˌbɔrd, -ˌboʊrd /

noun

  1. Also called mopboard, skirt.  a board forming the foot of an interior wall.

  2. a board forming the base bases of anything.


baseboard British  
/ ˈbeɪsˌbɔːd /

noun

  1. a board functioning as the base of anything

  2. Also called: skirting board.  a skirting made of wood

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of baseboard

An Americanism dating back to 1850–55; base 1 + board

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

From my spot on the stained carpet, I can see two spider webs and flowered wallpaper that’s peeling at the baseboard.

From Literature

I listen to Togo push his bowl from one side of the kitchen to the other, the metal dish pinging against the baseboards.

From Literature

They meticulously vacuum, and scrub the walls, windows, baseboards and floors, clearing every open surface and precious possession of reminders of the Eaton fire.

From Los Angeles Times

As she stuffed more linens around the baseboards, water flowed from beneath her kitchen cabinets and through her bathroom.

From Los Angeles Times

One of the squares disappears when you place the first piece of a row against the wall or a baseboard.

From Seattle Times