joist
joist Lexical Profile
joist Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A length of timber, steel, or concrete arranged in parallel series to support a floor or ceiling.
"Before laying the plywood subfloor, the carpenters made sure every wooden floor joist was perfectly level."
• verb
To fit or furnish a building or structure with joists.
"The crew will joist the new kitchen extension tomorrow morning so they can install the roofing by the weekend."
Word Nuance & Usage
While often used interchangeably with 'beam', in construction terminology, a beam is a primary load-bearing structural member, whereas a joist is a secondary member arranged in parallel series to directly support a floor or ceiling.
• Rhymes for joist
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'giste', via Old French 'giste' (a bed, resting place, or supporting beam). This derives from the Old French verb 'gesir' (to lie), tracing back to the Latin 'iacere' (to lie).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.