Showing Results for "wainscoting"

See Also:

• present participle of wainscot.

wainscoting

American  

[weyn-skoh-ting, -skot-ing, -skuh-ting] / ˈweɪn skoʊ tɪŋ, -skɒt ɪŋ, -skə tɪŋ /

especially British, wainscotting

noun

1. paneling or woodwork with which rooms, hallways, etc., are wainscoted.

2. wainscots collectively.

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Etymology

Origin of wainscoting

First recorded in 1570–80; wainscot + -ing ¹

Explanation

Wainscoting is the style of indoor wall covering that's made of wooden boards. It's not uncommon for rooms to have wainscoting on the lower half of their walls. Before the 18th century, wainscoting frequently covered the entire surface of a wall, paneling a dining room or library from floor to ceiling. Newer houses are more likely to have wainscoting only on the bottom part of a wall, if at all. The wall-covering material itself can also be called wainscoting or wainscot. The original wainscoting was made of oak, but softer wood is more common today.

Example Sentences

Other impressive features found in the space included original teak plank flooring, an original marble staircase, and original picture moldings and wainscoting.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

On the first floor, the front parlor, with its wooden wainscoting and classical door frames, is more elegant after conservation restored small details in the decorative moldings.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 7, 2026

Named for its historic 1920s chateau-esque building, Castle is a treasure box of prewar charm: lattice windows, crown molding, wainscoting, Art Deco tile.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 29, 2024

And instead of recessed wall niches, she added shallow, surface-mounted bookshelves over the room’s wainscoting and wallpaper.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 28, 2023

He’d wanted inglenooks, somebody had said, and an overscaled fireplace and alcoves, built-in window seats and wainscoting, a battered porch base and low stone walls along his entrance walk.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson