The process of lining something with fur; also, strips of material (usually wood) attached to walls or ceilings to create a gap for insulation or to level surfaces.
From the verb 'fur' (to line with fur) plus the '-ing' suffix. In construction, 'furring' comes from the same Old French root but refers to the strips of material used in building (possibly because they were originally lined with fur for insulation).
Furring strips in construction are invisible architecture—most people never see them, but they're in nearly every modern building holding up drywall and creating space for pipes and wires. The word likely kept the 'fur' connection from medieval building practices, showing how old terms stick around in technical fields.
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