girder

American  

[gur-der] / ˈgɜr dər /

noun

1. a large beam, as of steel, reinforced concrete, or timber, for supporting masonry, joists, purlins, etc.

2. a principal beam of wood, steel, etc., supporting the ends of joists.

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girder British  

/ ˈɡɜːdə /

noun

1. a large beam, esp one made of steel, used in the construction of bridges, buildings, etc

2. botany the structure composed of tissue providing mechanical support for a stem or leaf

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Other Word Forms

• girderless adjective

Etymology

Origin of girder

First recorded in 1605–15; gird ¹ + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Uprooted trees, a telephone pole, and the shingled roof of a small shed floated in the water behind the downed section of the bridge, trapped against the steel girder that now angled into the river.

From Literature

And indeed, it was a giant robot pelican, three stories high, made of steel and girders, currently swallowing the white panels of the ceiling in its massive steel and girder beak.

From Literature

Starting in 2023, they tore out its center and moved steel girders until they resembled Swiss cheese.

From The Wall Street Journal

Masonry, metal girders and piles of sand are everywhere along the pavements.

From Barron's

There are lane arrows in some of the floorboards while original lane numbers are painted on the basement girders of the back-of-house spaces.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• joist
• truss