English vocabulary · C1
Cordon
/ˈkɔːr.dən/ · n., v.
Cordon is a row of people or things that keeps others out of an area. It marks where people must stop and cannot pass.
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Example sentences
- Police formed a cordon around fallen wires.
- A cordon kept fans from the stage.
Word origin and roots
from Old French
- cordon — small cord (from Old French)
Synonyms and nuances
- BARRIER — thing that stops people (Blocks The Way)
- LINE — row marking a limit (Marks A Limit)
- RING — circle around a place (Goes Around)
Similar words
- barrier
- boundary
- blockade
- perimeter
- ring
Lesson notes
Cordon is a row of people or things that keeps others out of an area. It marks where people must stop and cannot pass.
Related: barrier, line, ring. Use cordon when guards block entry.
Police formed a cordon around fallen wires. A cordon kept fans from the stage.
From Old French. Cordon- means small cord. A small cord around a place keeps people out. That is a cordon.