surfboard
Americannoun
verb (used without object)
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of surfboard
Explanation
A surfboard is a long plank that's used for riding on top of ocean waves. The first thing you'll learn about using your new surfboard is how to stand up on it without immediately falling off! To be a surfer, you'll need a surfboard — a buoyant board, often made of fiberglass, used to ride the surf while standing upright — and lots of practice! Modern surfboards are relatively lightweight and aerodynamic, and they have fins on the bottom to help them be more stable in the water. For ancient Hawaiians, surfing held spiritual significance, and the original surfboards were built from solid wood in a solemn ceremony. In Hawaiian, a surfboard is called a papa heʻenalu, or "wave-sliding 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.
See Examples For:
Ustadh said preserving old equipment was also essential, clutching a battered red and blue surfboard that was nearly two decades old.
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
"GPX4 is a bit like a surfboard," says Conrad.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 9, 2025
For Weinraub, a custom surfboard artist, Volkswagen’s efforts have been life-changing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 20, 2025
“I was on the case, I had to go down there and see it,” said Zurales, who on Tuesday decided to take a surfboard and paddle out to the bubbles and get some answers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 19, 2025
The game board says “Ride the Reading Wave” and has a book on a surfboard.
From "Isaiah Dunn Is My Hero" by Kelly J. Baptist
From bags and bicycles to surfboards and suitcases, the Japanese second-hand market is booming, with quality-conscious buyers in other Asian countries increasingly tapping into the circular economy trend.
From Barron's ● Jun. 17, 2026
The change could benefit the Reel Inn Malibu, a family-owned seafood restaurant adorned with surfboards and string lights that had operated for 36 years before it was destroyed in the fire.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 6, 2026
I believed we’d eventually reunite like in a rom-com: We’d paddle through waves and kiss across our surfboards.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 7, 2025
The researchers are now building prototype lighting strips to test on surfboards and kayaks.
From BBC ● Nov. 12, 2024
An entire van full of kids drove past them, some surfboards sticking out of the back.
From "Far from the Tree" by Robin Benway
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
