What does boardings mean?
"Boardings" is the plural of "boarding", a word rooted in the idea of getting on board — literally stepping aboard a ship, aircraft, train, or bus. In modern usage it appears most frequently in transportation and statistics: airports report annual passenger boardings, ferry operators schedule boardings before departure, and transit agencies track boardings per route as a measure of ridership. Because each boarding marks the start of a journey, the word carries an administrative, data-driven tone rather than a conversational one. A secondary sense, chiefly British, refers to boards or planks fixed over windows, doors, or fences — the boardings nailed up to secure a derelict building. The underlying noun "board" descends from Old English "bord", meaning a plank or the side of a ship, which is why "on board" and related terms persist from nautical language into everyday travel vocabulary.
nounThe plural of 'boarding', referring to instances of boarding a vehicle such as a ship, aircraft, or train; also, in some contexts, the wooden planks or boards used to construct a fence or hoarding.
- Instances of passengers embarking a ship, aircraft, bus, or train, especially counted in transit statistics.
- Wooden boards or planks fixed to a structure such as a fence, window, or hoarding (chiefly British).
"Passengers were reminded that boardings for the overnight ferry would cease fifteen minutes before departure."
"Annual passenger boardings at the regional airport surpassed two million for the first time."
"The derelict house was secured with fresh boardings across every window."
Already a plural form; the singular is 'boarding' (one instance of embarking). It takes plural verbs and quantifiers naturally.
"Boardings rose sharply during the holiday season."
In transit statistics around the world, every trip begins with a count — and that count is called a boarding.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does boardings come from?
The word derives from "board", which comes from Old English "bord", meaning a plank, table, or the side of a vessel — hence the nautical phrase "on board". From this root grew "boarding", the act of entering or going aboard a conveyance, and by extension the plural form "boardings" used to count such events. The same Germanic root gives us cognates such as Dutch "boord" and German "Bord", both meaning a ship's side.
Related word forms
How boardings is actually used
Most common in official, technical, or statistical contexts — transit reports, airline data, and transport planning — rather than casual conversation. The construction sense is chiefly British and often appears in phrases like 'put up boardings'.
Easily confused with boardings
'Boarding' is the singular form referring to the act or process of getting on a vehicle, while 'boardings' is its plural, typically used when counting multiple boarding events.