rafter

noun
UK: /ˈrɑːftər/
US: /ˈræftər/

  1. A sloping beam that supports a roof.

    1. The rafter is made of strong wood to hold the roof.
    2. We could see daylight through gaps where the rafter met the decaying roof.

  2. One of several beams that support a roof, often sloping from the ridge to the wall.

    1. Birds often build nests between the rafter and the roof.
    2. The carpenter measured each rafter carefully before securing it to the frame.

Synonyms

beam
rafter transitive-verb

  1. To furnish or fit with rafters.

    1. The builders raftered the new house quickly.
    2. They raftered the old barn before the storm season arrived unexpectedly.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "rafter" in English means: A sloping beam that supports a roof., One of several beams that support a roof, often sloping from the ridge to the wall..

The phonetic transcription of "rafter" is /ˈrɑːftər/ in British English and /ˈræftər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "rafter": beam.

Example usage of "rafter": "The rafter is made of strong wood to hold the roof.". More examples on the page.