girder

noun

gird·​er ˈgər-dər How to pronounce girder (audio)
: a horizontal main structural member (as in a building or bridge) that supports vertical loads and that consists of a single piece or of more than one piece bound together

Examples of girder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Using precast girders means the span can be constructed first on one side of the freeway and then the other, so traffic can be diverted in the wee hours to other lanes. Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2023 Several of the main load-carrying girder beams were compromised and the bridge deck was beyond repair, resulting in the bridge being unsafe for traffic. Mike Jones, Arkansas Online, 22 July 2023 Pictures from The Associated Press and others showed that part of the roadbed had fallen away, with warped metal girders hanging down toward the water. Alexander Smith, NBC News, 17 July 2023 Those girders are scheduled to be installed over several weeks, starting this fall, between midnight and 5 a.m. Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2023 The steel girders in the I-95 overpass may have reached 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit, Kodur says. Manasee Wagh, Popular Mechanics, 16 June 2023 Work crews will close part of U.S. 67/Arkansas 229 in Saline County beginning at 9 p.m. Monday to hang steel bridge girders for an Interstate 30 Bridge over U.S. 67, the state Department of Transportation said. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Arkansas Online, 26 June 2023 Once the supports are in place, the crossing will be assembled from 84 precast concrete girders, which are being constructed in Perris, said Robert Rock, a landscape architect for Living Habitats, based in Chicago, and lead designer for the project. Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2023 Fireproofing Bridges Is a Straightforward Solution Retrofitting bridges for fire safety could mean simply spraying the girders and even the concrete with a fireproof coating, Yazdani says. Manasee Wagh, Popular Mechanics, 16 June 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'girder.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

gird entry 1 (in sense "to surround as with a belt, connect firmly") + -er entry 2

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of girder was in 1611

Dictionary Entries Near girder

Cite this Entry

“Girder.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/girder. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

girder

noun
gird·​er ˈgərd-ər How to pronounce girder (audio)
: a horizontal main supporting beam
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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