sheathing

noun

sheath·​ing ˈshē-t͟hiŋ 

-thiŋ

1

: the action of one that sheathes something

2

: material used to sheathe something

especially : the first covering of boards or of waterproof material on the outside wall of a frame house or on a timber roof

Examples of sheathing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The pictures show a sink covered in ants; rat droppings in the kitchen and on some of the produce; tomatoes and avocados that had been partially eaten by vermin; and a gas line with its protective sheathing dangerously frayed. —John McDermott, HollywoodReporter, 19 June 2025

Water gets into sheathing and insulation, which triples the cost of repair within six months. —Jamie Gold, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025

Glass sheathing is inexpensive relative to, say, limestone ashlars. —Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 6 June 2025

Rain and snow melt had been seeping under the metal flashing and onto the wood sheathing, which consequently rotted. —Marcela Valdes, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for sheathing

• breathing
• teething
• bequeathing
• rebreathing

Kids Definition

sheathing

noun

sheath·​ing ˈshē-t͟hiŋ 

-thiŋ

: material used to sheathe something

especially : the first covering of boards or of waterproof material on the outside wall of a frame house or on a timber roof