A rafter is one of the long, sloping pieces of wood or metal that support a roof. Several rafters placed side by side form the basic frame that holds up the roof covering.
The word comes from Old English “ræfter,” related to Old Norse “raptr,” meaning “rafter” or “beam.” Its deeper origin is Germanic, connected to words for weaving or joining pieces together.
Rafters are like the ribs of a building, giving the roof its shape and strength. The word is so old that people were saying some form of it in Northern Europe long before English even existed as a separate language.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.