gambrel roof

noun

: a roof with a lower steeper slope and an upper less steep one on each of its two sides see roof illustration

Examples of gambrel roof in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Built in 1809 by Gideon Tucker, a school commissioner who ran a nearby plaster factory, the two-and-a-half-story, Federal-style corner house is exceedingly rare as a Manhattan home whose sloping gambrel roof and original dormer windows have survived more than two centuries. John Freeman Gill, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2022 In addition to converting it to a tavern, its first tavernkeeper, William Mayes Sr., expanded the building, adding a third floor and the gambrel roof. Carlos R. Muñoz, BostonGlobe.com, 3 Feb. 2023 The Colonial-style house features a gambrel roof, hardwood floors, oversize windows and skylights, high ceilings, two fireplaces, great room and family room, formal dining and living rooms, and a finished basement with full bathroom. The Week Staff, The Week, 22 May 2022 The house has board-and-batten siding and a gambrel roof, as well as a timber-frame living room with vaulted ceilings, a stone fireplace, a kitchen with granite countertops and a two-story deck. Lia Picard, WSJ, 30 Sep. 2021 Built in 1652 as a home, the red Colonial with clapboard walls and gambrel roof was converted into a tavern in 1673. BostonGlobe.com, 13 July 2021 The outside is nothing special: faded yellow facade, metal gambrel roof, no bigger than a three-car garage. Alex Prewitt, SI.com, 2 Oct. 2019 This style, which came to be called a gambrel roof, is also referred to as a barn roof, and became a fairly innovative feature for houses. Maggie Burch, House Beautiful, 23 Oct. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gambrel roof.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from gambrel in sense "hock of a horse," compared to the shape of the roof

First Known Use

1765, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gambrel roof was in 1765

Dictionary Entries Near gambrel roof

Cite this Entry

“Gambrel roof.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gambrel%20roof. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gambrel roof

noun
gam·​brel roof
ˌgam-brəl-
: a roof with a lower steeper slope and an upper less steep one on each side
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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