truss
TRUSS
/tʌs/
A framework, typically consisting of rafters, posts, and struts, supporting a roof, bridge, or other structure.
Characterized by its triangular geometry, which distributes forces evenly and prevents bending in individual members.
The story behind the word. In Old French, 'trosser' meant to pack or bind things tightly together (related to 'trouseau'). In the middle ages, carpenters adopted the word to describe how they bound timbers together into rigid, unyielding triangular frames.
Word relationships
- framework: Framework is a general term for any supporting structure, while a truss is specifically a triangular structural system.
- gird: To gird means to prepare or secure, whereas a truss is the actual physical structure of connected beams.
Commonly confused with
- beam: A beam is a solid, single piece of material, while a truss is a hollow framework made of many smaller connected pieces.
Word family
- trussed (adjective): Supported or bound by a truss.
Collocations
- roof truss
- steel truss
- truss bridge
- timber truss
Example sentences
- "The carpenters assembled the wooden roof truss on the ground before hoisting it onto the walls." Residential construction
- "The steel truss bridge spanning the gorge is a classic example of late-nineteenth-century engineering." Industrial design
Memory hook
Think of 'trust'. You can 'trust' a 'truss' because its triangular shape is the most stable and reliable structure in geometry. Triangles you can trust.
When not to use
Do not use to describe a solid beam or a simple column; a truss must be an open framework of connected triangles.
Fun facts
- Because triangles cannot be deformed without changing the length of their sides, a truss can span massive distances using very little material.
Related words
Also appears in
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