noun

boulder

BOHL-duh

noun

A large rock, especially one that has broken off and lies separate from the surrounding land.

"They stopped to rest on a huge boulder beside the trail."

"A boulder had rolled down and blocked half the road."

verb

To practise bouldering, a form of rock climbing done without ropes on short, low routes.

"They spent the afternoon bouldering at the climbing gym."

How to Use Boulder

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA big loose rock, or (as a verb) to climb short rock routes without ropes.

Common pairings

a huge boulder go bouldering

bouldered past tense, boulders plural, boulders singular

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They stopped to rest on a huge _____ beside the trail.

From Middle English "boulder stone," probably from an Old Swedish word for a large rock in a stream that made the water roar as it passed.

Mulder shoulder