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prettygoodwordsoffit - n., the underside of an architectural component such as an arch, eave, cornice, stairs, or ceiling.
Most commonly, the part between the edge of a roof that hangs beyond a wall and the siding. In use since around 1600, from French soffite, from Italian soffitto, from conjectured vulgar Latin suffīctus, from Latin suffīxus, past participle of Latin suffigere, to fasten underneath (making it a cognate of suffix), from sub- + figere, to fasten. So pretty much the literal sense all the way. Pronounced SOF-it, though exactly which kind of short o depends on your accent I suspect.
---L.
Most commonly, the part between the edge of a roof that hangs beyond a wall and the siding. In use since around 1600, from French soffite, from Italian soffitto, from conjectured vulgar Latin suffīctus, from Latin suffīxus, past participle of Latin suffigere, to fasten underneath (making it a cognate of suffix), from sub- + figere, to fasten. So pretty much the literal sense all the way. Pronounced SOF-it, though exactly which kind of short o depends on your accent I suspect.
---L.
