soffit

noun

sof·​fit ˈsä-fət 

: the underside of a part or member of a building (as of an overhang or staircase)

especially : the intrados of an arch

Examples of soffit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Clean gutters regularly so water flows away from your house and doesn’t back up into the soffits and under the roofline. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2026

Your soffit vents play a critical role in keeping your attic properly ventilated, and they can get clogged with dust, cobwebs and debris over time. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Apr. 2026

When debris like leaves or bird nests blocks drainage, water can back up into your fascia, soffit or even your foundation. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026

The single biggest structural move was removing a soffit between the kitchen and the double-height living room—a partition that had sealed the kitchen off as a separate zone. —Paul Jebara, Forbes.com, 24 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French soffite, from Italian soffitto, from Vulgar Latin *suffictus, past participle of Latin suffigere to fasten underneath — more at suffix

First Known Use

1592, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for soffit

• profit
• prophet
• nonprofit