truss

American  

[truhs] / trʌs /

verb (used with object)

1. to tie, bind, or fasten.

2. to make fast with skewers, thread, or the like, as the wings or legs of a fowl in preparation for cooking.

3. to furnish or support with a truss or trusses.

4. to tie or secure (the body) closely or tightly; bind (often followed byup ).

5. Falconry. (of a hawk, falcon, etc.) to grasp (prey) firmly.

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noun

1. Civil Engineering, Building Trades.

   1. any of various structural frames based on the geometric rigidity of the triangle and composed of straight members subject only to longitudinal compression, tension, or both: functions as a beam or cantilever to support bridges, roofs, etc.

   2. any of various structural frames constructed on principles other than the geometric rigidity of the triangle or deriving stability from other factors, as the rigidity of joints, the abutment of masonry, or the stiffness of beams.

2. Medicine/Medical. an apparatus consisting of a pad usually supported by a belt for maintaining a hernia in a reduced state.

3. Horticulture. a compact terminal cluster or head of flowers growing upon one stalk.

4. Nautical. a device for supporting a standing yard, having a pivot permitting the yard to swing horizontally when braced.

5. a collection of things tied together or packed in a receptacle; bundle; pack.

6. Chiefly British. a bundle of hay or straw, especially one containing about 56 pounds (25.4 kilograms) of old hay, 60 pounds (27.2 kilograms) of new hay, or 36 pounds (16.3 kilograms) of straw.

truss British  

/ trʌs /

verb

1. (sometimes foll by up) to tie, bind, or bundle

   to truss up a prisoner

2. to fasten or bind the wings and legs of (a fowl) before cooking to keep them in place

3. to support or stiffen (a roof, bridge, etc) with structural members

4. informal to confine (the body or a part of it) in tight clothes

5. falconry (of falcons) to hold (the quarry) in the stoop without letting go

6. med to supply or support with a truss

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noun

1. a structural framework of wood or metal, esp one arranged in triangles, used to support a roof, bridge, etc

2. med a device for holding a hernia in place, typically consisting of a pad held in position by a belt

3. horticulture a cluster of flowers or fruit growing at the end of a single stalk

4. nautical a metal fitting fixed to a yard at its centre for holding it to a mast while allowing movement

5. architect another name for corbel

6. a bundle or pack

7. a bundle of hay or straw, esp one having a fixed weight of 36, 56, or 60 pounds

Other Word Forms

• trusser noun
• undertruss verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of truss

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English verb trussen, from Old French tr(o)usser, variant of torser, probably from unattested Vulgar Latin torsāre, derivative of unattested torsus, for Latin tortus, past participle of torquere “to twist, wind, wrap”; Middle English noun trosse, trus, trusse “bundle,” from Old French trousse, torse, derivative of torser

Explanation

A truss is a framework that supports something, like a roof or a bridge. A steel beam that holds up a bridge is called a truss. Another kind of truss is a similar structure that's designed to support a roof. A truss refers to part of the design of a bridge, overpass, or building; or a medical device that keeps a hernia from bulging. Either way, a truss offers support. You can also use truss as a verb meaning "tie up." Many cooks are familiar with a recipe's instruction to truss a goose, for example, tying its wings and legs together before cooking it. A truss was originally "a collection of things bound together," with the Vulgar Latin root torciare, "to twist."

Example Sentences

An aluminum truss provided infrastructure, and custom joints, gimbals and animatronics gave the astronaut life.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

It is to his credit that the cathedral is not a simulacrum or facsimile, but a Gothic building, in all its structural reality, even the invisible oak roof truss above the vaults.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 3, 2025

Absent those images, watching Lois debone, stuff and truss up a turducken would be mouthwatering.

From Salon • Oct. 4, 2024

Stretching from Port Townsend to La Push on the coast, miles of railroad track were converted to trails, including trestles and timber truss bridges beneath conifer canopy.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 13, 2023

After test assembling every part the truss was dismantled and hoisted piece by piece to the top of the walls.

From "Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction" by David Macaulay

Related Words

• beam