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

Like submarine bulkheads, a breach in one segment won't compromise the others. —Brian Gatke, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024

Book a bulkhead seat, which does not have a seat in front of it, so you’re guaranteed your own personal space. —Jen Murphy, Outside Online, 7 Feb. 2024

And scientific director Steven Ross said that, on a dive just a few days before the Titan imploded, the vessel became unstable because of a ballast problem, causing passengers to tumble and crash into a bulkhead. —Sydney Lake, Fortune, 18 June 2023

According to Ross, six days before the Titan submarine imploded, the sub’s pilot and the company’s co-founder, Stockton Rush, crashed the vessel into a launch mechanism bulkhead while the vessel was attempting to resurface from Dive 87. —Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 20 Sep. 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