bordure
/bɔʁ.dyʁ/
The English word "edging" can be translated into French as bordure.
bordure refers to the outer edge or border of an area, such as a garden or a piece of fabric.
Which one should you use?
While bordure refers to the physical edge or decorative edging, it is distinct from bord which usually refers to the edge of a surface or a bank (like a riverbank). Le pourtour refers to the outline or perimeter of something.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of bordure is bordures.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of bordure is /bɔʁ.dyʁ/. It consists of two syllables.
Did you know?
- The modern French word for a brothel, bordel, originally meant a small cottage or a 'border' dwelling.
- In heraldry, a bordure is a band around the edge of a shield used to distinguish different branches of the same family.
- The word bordure shares an ancestor with the English word 'board', as both stem from the Germanic word for a piece of wood or a plank.
Examples in context
- La bordure de ce jardin est magnifiqueThe edging of this garden is beautiful
- La lisière de la forêt est denseThe edge of the forest is dense
- J'ai cousu un biais rouge sur cette couvertureI stitched a red edging onto this blanket
- La bordure de cette peinture la met en valeurThe edging of this painting enhances it
- J'adore les petites clôtures en bois dans les jardins fleurisI love the small wooden edgings in flower gardens
- Le biais brodé sur ce vêtement est magnifiqueThe embroidered edging on this garment is beautiful
- une bordure de fleursA flower edging
- La bordure du jardin est très propre.The garden edging is very clean.
- Elle a ajouté une bordure en dentelle.She added a lace edging.
- Il faut nettoyer la bordure de la piscine.The pool edging needs cleaning.
Example conversation
Manon and Lucas are looking at a new garden design.
- ManonRegarde cette jolie bordure en pierre.Look at this pretty stone edging.
- LucasOui, elle irait bien dans ton jardin.Yes, it would look good in your garden.
- ManonEst-ce que tu l'achètes pour moi ?Are you buying it for me?
- LucasD'accord, je m'en occupe demain.Okay, I will take care of it tomorrow.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry bordure, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bordure, CC BY-SA 4.0.
