Baseboard

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈbeɪsˌbɔɹd/

Definitions

1. A horizontal board situated at the junction of a wall and the floor serves both a decorative and protective function in interior spaces
2. A type of trim that runs along the bottom of walls, enhancing aesthetics while protecting against damage
3. A strip of wood or material fixed where the wall meets the floor to conceal and shield the joint ; an electric or hot water heater installed along the bottom of a wall to warm a room

Etymology: Baseboard is about as transparent a coinage as English offers: "base" in the sense of the lowest part of something, plus "board," the flat piece of timber. The compound describes exactly where it sits, at the bottom of a wall where the wall meets the floor. Its job is partly practical, since it shields the lowest section of plaster or paint from scuffs, mops and furniture, and partly ornamental, since it hides the join between two surfaces that rarely meet perfectly. The word itself is built entirely from ordinary English parts, so there is no older foreign term hiding underneath. Its literal meaning is the most useful guide to how it is used: a board placed at the base of a wall.

Synonyms: skirting board, molding, trim, board, plinth