boar
Americannoun
-
an uncastrated male pig
-
See wild boar
Etymology
Origin of boar
First recorded before 1000; Middle English boor, Old English bār; cognate with Dutch beer, Old High German bêr, from unattested West Germanic baira-, perhaps akin to Welsh baedd
Compare meaning
How does boar compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Vocabulary lists containing boar
"Beowulf," Vocabulary from the epic poem
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Boar Out There" by Cynthia Rylant
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Hunter said: "They were very fierce animals to face in the hunt, so the symbolism of the boar is a lot about the strength of it - a very appropriate adversary in battle."
From BBC • Jan. 7, 2026
"Where we have problems, and where everyone in Europe has problems, is with the wild boar population, because there is overpopulation," said Higuera.
From Barron's • Dec. 2, 2025
We passed the camera and transmitter gear which had been set up to observe not only monkeys but black bears, boar and many other wild species in Shennongjia.
From BBC • Aug. 26, 2025
Drafted into Margo’s world, Sophie is soon shooting skeet, and then, having bought her own guns, wild boar.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 21, 2025
There was an old bristling boar too, and a score of assorted piglets scampering underfoot.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
