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voussoir

/vuˈswɑr/
IPA guide

Other forms: voussoirs

A voussoir is a wedge-shaped stone used in building arches and vaults. If you’re building an arch, or any other curved shape, rectangle bricks just won’t do. You need a voussoir or two!

One type of building block is named by the French word voussoir. A voussoir is a stone block that’s wedge shaped, like a piece of pie with a bite taken out. Since it takes more than one to build with, the word is usually plural. Voussoirs are used to make specific buildings — arches and tombs. The rounded form of an arch is tricky to build, and the wedge shape of voussoirs helps them fit together.

Definitions of voussoir
  1. noun
    a wedge-shaped stone building block used in constructing an arch or vault
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    type of:
    building block
    a block of material used in construction work
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