Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounA large mass of stone detached from the surrounding land.
nounA particle greater than 256 mm in diameter, following the Wentworth scale
Sentence Examples
Mr Sato was standing on top of a boulder.
The catapult hurled the boulder over the castle walls.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The hikers had to climb around a massive ____ that blocked the narrow mountain trail.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
A massive ____ was blocking the narrow path up the steep mountain side.
Word Origin & History
From late Middle English bulder, short for Middle English bulder ston (“a stone that's been worn into a round shape, boulder, cobblestone”), possibly from Old Swedish *buldersten, itself possibly from Old Swedish bulder (“rumble, noise”) + sten (“stone”); whence dialectal Swedish bullersten (“large stone in a stream, causing water to roar around it”). The first element may alternatively be allied to Old Swedish bulle, bolle (“round drinking vessel, tumbler”), from Old Norse bolli, related to Old English bolla (“round object, bowl”), see English bowl.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"There were four sizes of marbles and we called them boulders, biggies, regulars, and teenies."
— 2006, Carol Benson, The Old Lonesome, page 84:
"He bouldered a route in the same area with ease. Mitchell, 11, was hanging with the older kids in an area where bouldering nearly upside down seemed to be...."
— 2005 November 18, “The ties that bind ..., ... and prevent falls have become family unifier in rock climbing”, in Salt Lake Tribune:
"As the week unfolded, we were taught about the equipment we needed, how to tie a rope and what to wear. We learnt to balance on our feet rather than cling on with our arms and to trust our rock shoes, the moulded rubber slippers that can grip the smoothest of surfaces. We abseiled, bouldered and belayed."
— 2006 July 18, Tony Durrant, “The steep learning curve”, in telegraph.co.uk:
"There's even old climbing hardware in it because people bouldered on it for years."
— 2007 February 15, “Homes blend eco-friendliness, unique design”, in Sierra Sun: