noun
Common
cord
kawd
Cord (noun) means a length of thin rope, string, or flexible cable. Example: “The phone charger has a long cord that reaches the sofa.”
noun
1
A length of thin rope, string, or flexible cable.
"The phone charger has a long cord that reaches the sofa."
"She plugged in the lamp's cord."
"He tied the package shut with a length of cord."
2
A unit for measuring stacked firewood, roughly 128 cubic feet.
"He stacked a cord of oak beside the cabin."
"A full cord of wood should last us most of the winter."
"They ordered two cords of firewood for the winter."
verb
1
To tie or fasten something with cord.
"She corded the bundle of newspapers before putting it out."
"We corded the tent poles together so they were easy to carry."
"The movers corded the boxes together for the trip."
How to use cord
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA piece of string, rope, or cable — or, in woodcutting, a standard measured stack of firewood.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "chord" (musical notes played together, or a line in geometry) — they sound identical but are spelled differently.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
power cord
extension cord
cord of wood
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- cords
- Past tense
- corded
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The phone charger has a long _____ that reaches the sofa.
Etymology
From Old French corde, from Latin chorda, from Greek khorde ("gut-string"), the same root that gives us "chord."
Related words
Rhymes for cord
See all rhymes for cord →Frequently asked questions
What does “cord” mean?
The word “cord” means a length of thin rope, string, or flexible cable. In plain terms, a piece of string, rope, or cable — or, in woodcutting, a standard measured stack of firewood.
How do you pronounce “cord”?
“Cord” is pronounced kawd (/kɔɹd/ in IPA).
How do you use “cord” in a sentence?
Here is “cord” used in a sentence: “She plugged in the lamp's cord.”
What part of speech is “cord”?
Depending on how it is used, “cord” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “cord” come from?
The word “cord” comes from Latin. From Old French corde, from Latin chorda, from Greek khorde ("gut-string"), the same root that gives us "chord.".
Is “cord” a common word?
“Cord” is a fairly common word in modern English.
How many meanings does “cord” have?
“Cord” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a length of thin rope, string, or flexible cable.
What is the difference between cord and chord?
A cord is a length of thin rope, string, or flexible cable, and the same spelling is used in anatomy: spinal cord, vocal cords, umbilical cord. A chord is a group of musical notes sounded together or a straight line joining two points on a curve, so "vocal chords" is a common misspelling.
How much wood is in a cord of firewood?
A cord is a unit for stacked firewood of roughly 128 cubic feet, traditionally a tight stack 4 feet high, 4 feet deep, and 8 feet long. Sellers sometimes offer a "face cord," which is only one log-length deep and contains much less wood.
What is the difference between a cord and a cable?
A cord is thin and flexible, like a phone charger's cord or a drawstring. Cable usually suggests something thicker, stronger, or heavier duty, such as steel cable or buried power cable, though for household electronics the two words often overlap.
