Chalkboard

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈt͡ʃɔːk.bɔː(ɹ)d/

Definitions

1. A flat rectangular panel commonly found in classrooms that is intended for writing with chalk and can be easily cleaned for reuse
2. A smooth, dark surface often mounted on a wall in educational settings that allows for writing with chalk and can be cleaned to display new information
3. A rectangular writing surface typically used in teaching that accommodates chalk for written lessons and is erasable to facilitate multiple uses

Etymology: Chalkboard is about as transparent a compound as English offers: "chalk" joined to "board," the flat surface you write on. Chalk itself is the soft white limestone, and the name reaches back to Old English "cealc," borrowed from Latin "calx," meaning lime or limestone. So the word is literally a board for the soft stone once used to mark it. The chalk is the more interesting half of the pair. Writing with chalk on slate or wood long predated the blackboard, and the two parts of the compound were ordinary words long before they were combined. Nothing about the formation is unusual; it follows the same pattern as "blackboard," "clipboard," or "keyboard," with the first element naming the material or tool and the second naming the flat surface.

Synonyms: blackboard, whiteboard, writing board, drawing board, notice board