beam.

A long, strong structural member that spans a space and carries a load.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• exposed beam
• ceiling beam
• steel beam

On the page

He ducked beneath the beam at the entrance to the loft.

Exposed beams divided the ceiling into dark rectangles.

The contractor found a split where the beam entered the wall.

Usage notes

Primary category: architecture. Building sense; not a ray of light. A girder is usually a larger primary beam. Count noun: beams.