voussoir

American  

[voo-swahr] / vuˈswɑr /

noun

Architecture.

1. any of the pieces, in the shape of a truncated wedge, that form an arch or vault.

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voussoir British  

/ vuːˈswɑː /

noun

1. a wedge-shaped stone or brick that is used with others to construct an arch or vault

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Etymology

Origin of voussoir

1325–75; < French; replacing Middle English vousor ( i ) e < Anglo-French; Old French volsoir < Vulgar Latin *volsōrium, equivalent to *volt ( us ) (for Latin volūtus ), past participle of volvere to turn + -tōrium -tory ² with tt > s

Explanation

A voussoir is a wedge-shaped stone used in building arches and vaults. If you’re building an arch, or any other curved shape, rectangle bricks just won’t do. You need a voussoir or two! One type of building block is named by the French word voussoir. A voussoir is a stone block that’s wedge shaped, like a piece of pie with a bite taken out. Since it takes more than one to build with, the word is usually plural. Voussoirs are used to make specific buildings — arches and tombs. The rounded form of an arch is tricky to build, and the wedge shape of voussoirs helps them fit together.

Example Sentences

He learns the endless terms, the vocabulary that classifies the details of ancient buildings, writing them on separate index cards and making illustrations on the back: architrave, entablature, tympanum, voussoir.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Carlton was taking the busier advantage of a brilliant interval, and roughing out a new voussoir with the bold precision of the expert mason.

From Peccavi by Hornung, E. W. (Ernest William)

But in consequence either of an error in measurement or of a mistake in calculating the shrinking of the bricks, there was a gap between the third voussoir on the right and the key.

From A History of Art in Chaldæa & Assyria, v. 1 by Armstrong, Walter, Sir

Its ellipse is composed of eight voussoirs, four on each side, and a key with a small wedge-shaped stone voussoir on each side of it.

From A History of Art in Chaldæa & Assyria, v. 1 by Armstrong, Walter, Sir

If neither a corner-stone, a voussoir nor a capital, it has at least its place in the edifice which forms the literary history of the nineteenth century.

From Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 20. July, 1877. by Various