Our Word of the Week – Jamb

November 5, 2014//

Jamb- The jamb is the portion of a doorway you might have often referred to as the “frame” around the hole in the wall of a doorway. But “officially,” it does not refer to the part of the doorway opening over your head. It only refers to the sides. The two vertical pieces (usually of wood, if it is in a house) on either side of the opening are the door jambs. The “b” is silent. So this word sounds just like what you spread on your toast in the morning.
Here’s a silly way to remember this word. Think of the jamb as being “jammed” between the door and the wall. Other places you can find a jamb would be at window frames or fireplaces. But those uses of the word are uncommon.
Posted in Language of Architecture