lath

noun

ˈlath How to pronounce lath (audio)
also ˈlat͟h
plural laths or lath
1
: a thin narrow strip of wood nailed to rafters, joists, or studding as a groundwork for slates, tiles, or plaster
2
: a building material in sheets used as a base for plaster
3
: a quantity of laths
lath transitive verb

Examples of lath in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Beams and brick were left exposed and, in some spots, so was the raw lath. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 23 Apr. 2026 Jack was a durable man and well designed for his calling, seemingly made of slabs, laths, bits of wire and scraps of leather. — John Madson, Outdoor Life, 1 July 2026 Employees are able to answer specific questions like how to hang a flat-screen television on old lath and plaster walls, or repair sinking steps. — Roland Li, San Francisco Chronicle, 27 Sep. 2019 An acre-sized lath house provided shade for tender seedlings, and an innovative rainwater collection system provided water for irrigation six months of the year. — Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for lath

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English *læthth-; akin to Old High German latta lath, Welsh llath yard

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lath was in the 13th century

Rhymes for lath

See All Rhymes for lath

Browse Nearby Words

latex paint
lath
lath brick
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Lath.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lath. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

lath

noun
ˈlath How to pronounce lath (audio)
also ˈlat͟h
plural laths or lath
: a thin narrow strip of wood used especially as a base for plaster
lath verb

More from Merriam-Webster on lath

Nglish: Translation of lath for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lath

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
banana-mirrored
Contradictory Words Quiz Pick out which word means one thing…and the opp...
See All