Gabari

/ɡæbəˈri/ noun

Definition

A drawing, pattern, or template showing the dimensions and proportions of something to be built or manufactured, used in architecture and engineering.

Etymology

From French 'gabarit,' likely derived from Dutch 'gabbertje' or 'kabeljauw,' with uncertain ultimate origins, but used in technical fields to describe a standard measurement guide or mold.

Kelly Says

Architects and shipbuilders used gabaris as master templates for centuries—they could lay out the exact proportions of a ship's hull or a building's framework by following the pattern, making it possible to construct consistent designs!

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