joist / joist/ • n. a length of timber or steel supporting part of the structure of a building, typically arranged in parallel series to support a floor or ceiling.DERIVATIVES: joist·ed adj.

joists

joist. One of a series of horizontal timbers, spanning the space between walls, beams, etc., supporting a floor-finish and a ceiling. Types of joist include:cogged: joist supported and held in a notch in a transverse beam;cross: one of a series of joists in a section of floor running at right angles to the direction of joists in other sections of the same floor;lodged: joist resting on a beam;trimmer: also trimmed joist, spanning between two joists and supporting the ends of short joists, e.g. to permit an opening to be formed in a floor.

Bibliography

Alcock,, Barley,, Dixon,, & and Meeson , (1996);
W. McKay (1957)

joist XIV. ME. giste, early mod. iust—OF. giste beam supporting a bridge (mod. gite) :- sb. use of L. jacitum, n. pp. of jacēre lie down.