cantilever
|can-ti-le-ver|
🇺🇸
/ˈkæn.təˌliː.vɚ/
🇬🇧
/ˈkæn.tɪ.lɪ.və/
projecting support
Etymology
'cantilever' originates from Old French/Medieval Latin elements, specifically the words 'cantel' (Old French) and 'lever' (French), where 'cantel' meant 'edge' or 'piece' and 'lever' meant 'to raise'.
'cantilever' developed as a compound from Middle French/English elements ('cantel' + 'lever') and by the 18th–19th century appeared in English in the form 'cantilever', becoming established as the technical term used today.
Initially it referred broadly to a projecting piece or bracket raised from an edge; over time it became the technical term for a beam or structure supported at only one end.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a projecting structural element (such as a beam or plate) that is supported at only one end and carries a load at the other end.
The balcony was supported by a cantilever.
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Noun 2
any structure or fixture that projects out from a support with no external bracing beneath it.
A cantilever extended from the cliff face to form a viewing platform.
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Last updated: 2025/12/13 21:01