jamb

noun

ˈjam 

1

: an upright piece or surface forming the side of an opening (as for a door, window, or fireplace)

2

: a projecting columnar part or mass

Examples of jamb in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Inside, the Platinum Black—naturally—has black Nirvana leather upholstery plus a plate in the door jamb denoting the special-edition series number. —Joey Capparella, Car and Driver, 24 Aug. 2023

The jamb is the weakest spot on your door, so adding an extra sturdy strike plate and extra-long screws provides reinforcement in the event someone tries to break in by kicking in your door. —Nina Derwin, Woman's Day, 12 May 2023

That prior car also showed nearly 30,000 fewer miles on its odometer and didn’t appear to suffer from any notable rust, unlike this 325i, which reportedly has rust in its left door jamb. —Greg S. Fink, Car and Driver, 13 Apr. 2023

Dragged out the hose to clean my wheels and clean the door jambs on the truck....at least half the spray went in my face. —Ian Livingston, Washington Post, 4 Mar. 2023

Arredondo, who has been identified by other officials as the incident commander on scene, had previously told the Texas Tribune that officers had found the classroom doors were locked and reinforced with a steel jamb, hindering any potential response or rescue. —Travis Caldwell and Rosa Flores, CNN, 21 June 2022

An 18-year-old gunman killed 19 children and two teachers behind a locked classroom door the chief said was reinforced with a steel jamb and couldn't be kicked in. —CBS News, 10 June 2022

Because the classroom door was reinforced with a steel jamb, officers were unable to kick the door in, Arredondo told the Tribune. —Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN, 10 June 2022

Arredondo described the door to the classroom as one having a steel jamb that is designed to keep attackers in the hallways from forcing themselves in. —Greg Norman, Fox News, 10 June 2022

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English jambe, borrowed from Anglo-French jambe, gaunbe "side post of a door or window," literally, "leg," going back to Late Latin gamba, camba "hock or upper leg of a horse," borrowed from Greek kampḗ "bend, flexion of a limb," probably going back to a European substratal base *kamp-, whence also perhaps Lithuanian kam̃pas "corner, hidden place," Latvian kampis "curved piece of wood, kettle hook," Gothic hamfs "maimed"

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

jamb

noun

ˈjam 

: an upright piece forming the side of an opening (as of a door)