bulkhead

noun

bulk·​head ˈbəlk-ˌhed  ˈbəl-ˌked 

1

: an upright partition separating compartments

2

: a structure or partition to resist pressure or to shut off water, fire, or gas

3

: a retaining wall along a waterfront

4

: a projecting framework with a sloping door giving access to a cellar stairway or a shaft

Examples of bulkhead in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The staircase continues up to a bulkhead that opens onto a rooftop terrace to include a fire pit and a pergola. —Mark David, Robb Report, 13 Dec. 2024

The sailors who could not escape the ship's roll banged on the thick bulkheads, so rescuers would know where to try to cut holes through the steel to reach them. —Frank Witsil, Detroit Free Press, 6 Dec. 2024

In addition to window seats, travelers showed a clear preference for bulkhead and exit row seats. —Alison Fox, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2024

The federal government's lawsuit hinges on a section in the U.S. Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 that says the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers must sign off on any plans to place a wharf, pier, boom breakwater, bulkhead, jetty or other structures in navigable waters. —John C. Moritz, Austin American-Statesman, 15 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

bulk (structure projecting from a building) + head

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

bulkhead

noun

bulk·​head ˈbəlk-ˌhed 

1

: a wall separating compartments

2

: an external structure with a sloping door leading to the cellar stairway of a house