A roof is the top covering of a building that protects the inside from rain, sun, snow, and wind. Roofs can be flat or sloped and made from materials like tiles, metal, or shingles.
From Old English *hrōf* “roof, ceiling,” related to Old Norse *hróf* and German *Hof* in some senses. The word has long been tied to shelter and covering.
Roofs are so tied to the idea of home that we say “a roof over your head” to mean basic security. In biology, your mouth even has a “roof”—the palate—showing how deeply the metaphor of protective covering runs.
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