seaboard
UK[ˈsiːbɔːd]US[ˈsiːbɔːrd]
n
the part of a country that is near the sea; the coastline.
Morpheme Breakdown
sea
board
sea
board
Etymology
the word 'seaboard' is a compound formed from two old english elements. 'sea' has maintained its core meaning of a large expanse of salt water from its proto-germanic origin. 'board' evolved from a proto-germanic word meaning 'edge' or 'border', which also gave rise to meanings related to a plank or a table. in the compound 'seaboard', the sense of 'board' as a border or edge is primary. thus, the literal combination of 'sea' and 'border' logically yields the modern meaning of a coastal region or the land bordering the sea.
Analysis
Structure: sea + board
sea: from old english 'sǣ', meaning a large body of salt water.
board: from old english 'bord', meaning a border, side, or ship's side.
Examples
the eastern seaboard of the united states is densely populated.
major storms frequently threaten the nation's southern seaboard.
the city's economy depends heavily on trade from the busy seaboard.