Coved

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. A design characteristic that involves a rounded, smooth transition between surfaces in architecture
2. Having a surface that curves inward smoothly, creating a concave appearance
3. Describes a shape or structure that bends inward in a gentle arc or curve

Etymology: "Coved" is the past tense and past participle of "cove," which in its architectural sense describes a concave surface that curves smoothly inward, such as the vaulted ceilings of the Alhambra in Spain. The verb grew from the noun, which came into Middle English from Old English "cofa," meaning a chamber, den, or small shed. That older root traces back to Proto-Germanic and has cousins in Dutch "koof," Icelandic "kofi" (hut or shack), and Low German words for a small room. The noun's history is tangled by its resemblance to "cave," an unrelated word that probably helped it survive in English. A second, separate source is Romani: in Britain, "cove" meaning a man or fellow was attested around 1570, perhaps from Romani "kodo" ("this one, him") or "kova" ("that person"). Some English speakers later knew the word only in that slang sense, so the architectural meaning sometimes surprises readers.

Synonyms: arched, rounded