Soffit

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Soffit \Sof"fit\, n. [It. soffitta, soffitto, fr. soffiggere to
     hide, properly, to fix or fasten under, L. suffigere to
     fasten beneath or below; sub under, beneath + figere to fix,
     faste: cf. F. soffite.] (Arch.)
     The under side of the subordinate parts and members of
     buildings, such as staircases, entablatures, archways,


     cornices, or the like. See Illust. of {Lintel}.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  soffit
       n : the underside of a part of a building (such as an arch or
           overhang or beam etc.)