boulder
Other forms: boulders
A boulder is a rock — a big one.
Scientists often think of a boulder in more technical terms than we do. They use the word to describe not just a big rock, but a rock that some natural force — a river, a glacier or the like — has moved from its original location to its present one. A good way to remember all this is to think of Boulder, a city in Colorado that stands in the middle of the Rocky Mountains, and is, no doubt, full of boulders.
Definitions of boulder
-
a large smooth mass of rock detached from its place of origin
-
synonyms:
bowlder
-
examples:
-
Plymouth Rock
a boulder in Plymouth supposed to be where the Pilgrims disembarked from the Mayflower
-
types:
-
glacial boulder
a boulder that has been carried by a glacier to a place far distant from its place of origin
-
river boulder
a boulder that has been carried by a river to a place remote from its place of origin
-
shore boulder
a boulder found on a shore remote from its place of origin
-
Plymouth Rock
Pronunciation
US
/ˈboʊldər/
UK
/ˈbəʊldə/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
- MLA
- APA
- Chicago
Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘boulder'.
Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors.
Send us feedback
Word Family
EDITOR'S CHOICE
Look up boulder for the last time
Close your vocabulary gaps with personalized learning that focuses on teaching the words you need to know.
