jamb

¹ American  

[jam] / dʒæm /

Or jambe

noun

• jambs
  plural

1. Architecture, Building Trades.

   1. either of the vertical sides of a doorway, arch, window, or other opening.

   2. either of two stones, timbers, etc., forming the sidepieces for the frame of an opening.

2. Armor. greave.

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jamb ² American  

[jam] / dʒæm /

verb (used with or without object)

Obsolete.

1. an obsolete variant of jam.

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jamb British  

/ dʒæm /

noun

1. a vertical side member of a doorframe, window frame, or lining

2. a vertical inside face of an opening in a wall

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• jambs
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of jamb

1350–1400; Middle English jambe < Middle French: leg, jamb < Late Latin gamba, variant of camba pastern, leg < Greek kampḗ bend of a limb

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Explanation

A jamb is one of the upright boards or posts that support a door or window frame. Your front door shuts securely in between two jambs. When a house builder frames a doorway, she sets two jambs at the sides of the opening, with what's called a lintel at the top. The door fits between the jambs. Windows have jambs too — if you replace your existing windows, you may need a whole new frame, including new jambs. The Old French origin is jambe, which means "pier or side post," but was originally "a leg or a shank," from the Late Latin gamba, "leg."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

jamb jambs

The police and Sheehy eventually pulled McGinnis back into the room to remove his hand from inside the door jamb.

From Salon ● Mar. 5, 2026

The 10-year-old stood outside the only home he’d ever known — a home he could traverse in total darkness, whose every floorboard and door jamb he knew like the back of his hand.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 28, 2025

Doors are similar and need to close tightly against the jamb and sill weather stripping.

From Washington Post ● Feb. 16, 2022

Trust me, the finished molding you install over the door atop the drywall will cover even a 1-inch gap between the top of the door jamb and the bottom of the rough opening.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 2, 2021

The warped wood stuck and then popped free of the jamb, just as it had for us, and I felt the vibration shudder down into the pit of my stomach.

From "Tradition" by Brendan Kiely

When the finished trim and door weather stripping is added on the side wall jambs, you lose about 2 1/4 inches in width.

From Seattle Times ● May 13, 2024

Lacking an automated connection to a monitoring service, she connects exposed wires running along jambs to a light switch.

From Salon ● Dec. 6, 2023

“I started with a little campfire and it had eyes and it was really amorphous, like going through door jambs and keyholes” he said.

From New York Times ● Jun. 20, 2023

Even if it means his leaving scratch marks on the chamber’s door jambs on the way out.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 13, 2021

Bulging tongues of ice had broken doors off their hinges, and through their splintered jambs I could see evidence of a raid: kicked- over furniture, drawers torn open, snows of paper on the floor.

From "Hollow City" by Ransom Riggs

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