rafter

¹ American  

[raf-ter, rahf-] / ˈræf tər, ˈrɑf- /

noun

1. any of a series of timbers or the like, usually having a pronounced slope, for supporting the sheathing and covering of a roof.

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verb (used with object)

1. British Dialect. to plow (a field) so that the soil of a furrow is pushed over onto an unplowed adjacent strip.

rafter ² American  

[raf-ter, rahf-] / ˈræf tər, ˈrɑf- /

noun

1. a person who engages in the sport or pastime of rafting.

2. a person who travels on a raft, especially to flee a country.

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rafter ³ American  

[raf-ter, rahf-] / ˈræf tər, ˈrɑf- /

noun

1. a flock, especially of turkeys.

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rafter British  

/ ˈrɑːftə /

noun

1. any one of a set of sloping beams that form the framework of a roof

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Other Word Forms

• raftered
  adjective
• unraftered
  adjective

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Etymology

Origin of rafter¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English rafter, raftre, ræfter “beam, pole, rafter,” Old English ræfter; cognate with Middle Dutch rachter, rafter “plank, beam,” Middle Low German rafter, rachter, Old Norse raptr “log” (in plural, “rafters”); See raft ¹

Origin of rafter²

First recorded in 1740–45; raft ¹ ( def. ) + -er ¹ ( def. )

Origin of rafter³

raft ² + -er ¹

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Explanation

A rafter is a long board that supports the peak of a roof. If your bedroom is in the attic of your house, you can lie in bed staring up at the rafters. Rafters are a type of beam, a heavy supportive board that holds up whatever is above it in a building. Some make the distinction that rafters support a roof, while beams support heavier loads (such as the floor of an upper story in a house). Most rafters are made of wood, and sometimes they're left visible in the ceiling as a design element. The word comes from a root related the the Old Norse raptr, "log."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rafter

The best crowd surfing of the day came thanks to a seasoned, white-haired fest attendee in a bike helmet who was getting tossed around like a white-water rafter.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 21, 2026

I once had to use 1-inch diameter through bolts to secure rafter ties at the bottom of rafters on a steep 17/12 pitch roof.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 11, 2023

Earlier this year, I read a book called Built to Move, by Kelly Starrett, a physical therapist, and his wife, Juliet Starrett, a former attorney and world champion white-water rafter.

From Slate ● Dec. 10, 2023

Tom Ritzer, the university’s assistant director for landcare, said a flock of turkeys, also known as a rafter, sometimes tore up a planting bed and caused damage.

From New York Times ● Nov. 25, 2021

He stood up from his desk, careful not to thump his head on the rafter.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

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Related Words

• beam

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