What does bulkhead mean?
Word: Bulkhead
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Bulkhead means a strong wall that divides the inside of a ship, aircraft or vehicle into separate sections.
How do you spell bulkhead?
Syllables: bulk - head
Tricky part: Bulk has a u and ends in lk; students add a c or swap in an o.
Watch out for: bulckhead, bolkhead, bullkhead
Memory tip: A bulkhead is a big, bulky wall across the inside of a ship: begin with the four letters of bulk.
Bulkhead in a sentence
Example 1: A notice on the bulkhead told passengers where the life jackets were kept.
Example 2: Sailors closed the doors in the bulkhead to stop the water.
Example 3: The engineer checked every bulkhead for rust.
Fun Fact
In a car, the bulkhead is the panel between the engine and the passengers; Americans usually call it the firewall.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Makeup
Choose the correctly spelt compound word:
a) shipwrek
b) lighthous
c) steambote
d) bulkhead
Show answer
d) bulkhead. Shipwreck needs ck, lighthouse needs its final e, and steamboat is spelt with oa.
Word Cookie
Insert the correct pair of letters to form a word:
bulkh_a_
a) i, d
b) e, t
c) e, d
d) a, d
Show answer
c) e, d. Head is spelt h-e-a-d, as in bread.
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word: bulkhead
a) partition
b) anchor
c) sail
d) deck
Show answer
a) partition. A bulkhead is a dividing wall, which is what partition means.
Spell-o-Spell
Choose the incorrectly spelt word:
a) cabin
b) bulkhead
c) starbord
d) vessel
Show answer
c) starbord. Starboard ends in board, as in a wooden board.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. In an aeroplane, the seats just behind a bulkhead have ____.
a) a window on both sides of the row
b) a solid wall in front, not a seat
c) a seat belt that cannot be opened
d) a clear view of the pilots at work
Show answer
b) a solid wall in front, not a seat
2. A ship has several watertight bulkheads so that a leak ____.
a) is pumped straight back out
b) reaches the engine room first
c) drains away through the deck
d) stays in one part of the ship
Show answer
d) stays in one part of the ship
