lintel

noun

lin·​tel ˈlin-tᵊl How to pronounce lintel (audio)
: a horizontal architectural member spanning and usually carrying the load above an opening

Illustration of lintel

Illustration of lintel
  • 1 lintel

Examples of lintel 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.
The Jews were instructed to sacrifice a lamb or kid and smear its blood on the house’s lintel or doorpost. — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 2 Apr. 2026 God instructs Moses to tell the Israelites to slaughter a lamb and place its blood on the doorposts and lintels of their homes. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026 The sandstone lintel, showing a fearsome dragon with human arms emerging from lush foliage, once adorned the entrance to an early Khmer sanctuary. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 11 June 2026 Sensitive updates were spread out over ten months, with original features like concrete-tile floors, lintels, and exposed timber posts being repaired and restored. — Demetrius Simms, Robb Report, 18 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lintel

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French *lintel, alteration of linter threshold, from Late Latin limitaris, from Latin, constituting a boundary, from limit-, limes boundary

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of lintel was in the 14th century

Rhymes for lintel

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Browse Nearby Words

lint bells
lintel
linteled
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Cite this Entry

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

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Kids Definition

lintel

noun
lin·​tel ˈlint-ᵊl How to pronounce lintel (audio)
: a horizontal piece across the top of an opening (as of a door) that carries the weight of the structure above it

More from Merriam-Webster on lintel

Nglish: Translation of lintel for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lintel

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