A springboard is a flexible diving board that bends and bounces, launching divers high into the air before they enter the water. When a diver runs down the board and jumps, the board springs back, giving them extra height and power. Olympic divers use springboards to perform flips and twists before splashing into the pool.

The word also means anything that helps launch you toward something bigger. A summer internship at a veterinary clinic might be a springboard to a career working with animals. Learning to play simple songs on the piano can be a springboard to composing your own music. When your third-grade teacher first got you excited about science, that enthusiasm became a springboard for years of discovery.

Notice how both meanings share the idea of launching upward or forward. Just as a physical springboard gives a diver momentum, an opportunity or experience that serves as a springboard gives you the boost you need to reach your goals.