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rafter

English

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rafter¹

  • /ˈɹɑːftə/ UK
  • [ˈɹʷɑːftə] UK
  • /ˈɹæftɚ/ Canada, US
  • [ˈɹʷæftɚ] ~ [ˈɹʷæftɹ̩] Canada, US

Rhymes with -ɑːftə(ɹ), -æftə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

From Old English ræfter, of Germanic origin, related to the origin of raft.

noun rafters

  1. One of a series of sloped beams that extend from the ridge or hip to the downslope perimeter or eave, designed to support the roof deck and its associated loads. […] the pigeons fluttered up to the rafters
  2. collective A flock of turkeys. A turkey will always seek the company of another turkey, and ultimately that of the rafter.

verb rafters · raftering · raftered

  1. transitive To make (timber, etc.) into rafters.
  2. transitive To furnish (a building) with rafters.
  3. UK To plough so as to turn the grass side of each furrow upon an unploughed ridge; to ridge.

rafter²

  • /ˈɹɑːftə/ UK
  • [ˈɹʷɑːftə] UK
  • /ˈɹæftɚ/ Canada, US
  • [ˈɹʷæftɚ] ~ [ˈɹʷæftɹ̩] Canada, US

Rhymes with -ɑːftə(ɹ), -æftə(ɹ)

noun rafters

  1. A raftsman.

Rafter³

proper noun Rafters

  1. A surname.

Translations

Every language

noun one of a series of sloped beams

Españolviga, jácena
한국어서까래 seokkarae
日本語垂木 taruki
中文椽 chuán, 椽子 chuánzi
Portuguêscaibro, viga, trave
Françaischevron
DeutschSparren
Italianopassafuori, trave, puntone
Românăcăprior
Русскийстропи́ло stropílo, ба́лка bálka

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MLA

"rafter." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/rafter. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

rafter. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/rafter

Chicago

"rafter." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/rafter.

BibTeX
@misc{rafter_2026,
  title = {rafter},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/rafter},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}