: any of the small timbers or metal beams ranged parallel from wall to wall in a structure to support a floor or ceiling
Illustration of joist
J joist
Examples of joist in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebCantilevered decks using wood floor joists have a history of creating interior wood rot for the exact same reason.—Tim Carter, Chicago Tribune, 15 Sep. 2023 Unlike more expensive options, this one comes complete, featuring a plywood floor with cedar floor joists, shingles, and hardware.—Laura Kristine Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Sep. 2023 Spread the joists out farther too—ideally twenty-four inches.—Time, 22 Aug. 2023 Twist a screw eye into the hole, tightening it fully into the joist.—Hannah Bruneman, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023 Left untreated, a swarm of termites can chew through the floor joists and roof rafters of a house, weakening your home from the inside, Alexander explains.—Brittany Anas, House Beautiful, 27 July 2023 Next, drill through your home's rim joist, and run copper pipe and electrical cable through the hole and to the ground.—Merle Henkenius, Popular Mechanics, 25 June 2021 In one squat, residents replaced all the rotting joists in their building, using materials lifted from construction sites.—Dan Kois, Curbed, 16 Jan. 2023 Next, press the drywall up tight against the joist and secure it along the seam with drywall nails or screws driven into the center of the joist.—Joseph Truini and Merle Henkenius, Popular Mechanics, 18 Aug. 2020 See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'joist.' 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
Middle English giste, joiste, from Anglo-French giste, from Vulgar Latin *jacitum, from Latin jacēre to lie — more at adjacent
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