cantilever

American  

[kan-tl-ee-ver, -ev-er] / ˈkæn tlˌi vər, -ˌɛv ər /

Also cantaliver or cantalever

noun

1. any rigid structural member projecting from a vertical support, especially one in which the projection is great in relation to the depth, so that the upper part is in tension and the lower part in compression.

2. Building Trades, Civil Engineering. any rigid construction extending horizontally well beyond its vertical support, used as a structural element of a bridge cantilever bridge, building foundation, etc.

3. Aeronautics. a form of wing construction in which no external bracing is used.

4. Architecture. a bracket for supporting a balcony, cornice, etc.

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verb (used without object)

1. to project in the manner of a cantilever.

verb (used with object)

1. to construct in the manner of a cantilever.

cantilever British  

/ ˈkæntɪˌliːvə /

noun

1. 1. a beam, girder, or structural framework that is fixed at one end and is free at the other

   2. ( as modifier )

      a cantilever wing

2. a wing or tailplane of an aircraft that has no external bracing or support

3. a part of a beam or a structure projecting outwards beyond its support

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verb

1. (tr) to construct (a building member, beam, etc) so that it is fixed at one end only

2. (intr) to project like a cantilever

cantilever Scientific  

/ kăn′tl-ē′vər,-ĕv′ər /

1. A projecting structure, such as a beam, that is supported at one end and that carries a load at the other end or along its length. Cantilevers are important structures in the design of bridges and cranes.

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Etymology

Origin of cantilever

1660–70; perhaps cant ² + -i- + lever

Explanation

A cantilever is a girder or beam that supports a bridge or another large structure. Cantilevers are attached only at one end, like a rigid diving board. Structures that stick out sideways from a vertical support are cantilevers (hold your arm straight out from your body and it becomes a kind of cantilever). Engineers construct bridges using cantilevers, balancing them with counterweights or reinforcing them with girders and trusses. Cantilever bridges were originally called cantlapper bridges—from cant, or "slope," eventually combined with lever, from the Latin levare, "to raise."

Example Sentences

Afterward, the Cantilever Collective will lead a free movement workshop in the sculpture garden, helping participants shake out any remaining remnants of stress.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 29, 2026

Deer hunters will want to check out the Super X3 Cantilever Deer.

From Time Magazine Archive

Deer hunters will want to check out the Super X3 Cantilever Deer.

From Time Magazine Archive

Sights and Mounts: Cantilever barrel mounts let you attach a scope to the barrel, which allows you to remove your scope and barrel as a unit without worrying about ruining your zero.

From Time Magazine Archive

Cantilever wings vibrated and hummed and figures in coveralls swarmed over and around the planes.

From A Yankee Flier with the R.A.F. by Montgomery, Rutherford George

Related Words

• girder
• joist
• piling
• pillar
• plank
• pole
• shaft
• sill
• timber