Grider

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A structural element, typically a beam, used to support and distribute weight in construction
2. An elongated support framework employed to bridge gaps or provide structural integrity in buildings
3. A horizontal support piece in architecture that bears loads and stabilizes the overall structure

Etymology: A grider is simply a variant spelling of girder, and the beam sense grew out of a word for a belt. Girder comes from the verb "gird," Old English "gyrdan," meaning to bind something with a belt or band. The Middle English noun "girdel" referred to a belt or girdle, and the same family of words gave us "girdle" itself. A girder was named for what it did: it bound the parts of a structure together, much as a belt holds a garment in place. The building sense of a large horizontal beam developed later, and the same name was applied to iron and steel beams once those came into use in construction.

Synonyms: beam, girder, support

Antonyms: gap, opening