Arris
/ˈærɪs/noun
A sharp external edge formed by the meeting of two surfaces, especially in architecture or masonry.
Did you know?The word’s ancestor, Latin arista, referred to the stiff bristle or beard projecting from a grain ear—the same visual idea later applied to a sharply projecting architectural edge.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
arista
“The bristle or beard of a grain ear; also a sharp, projecting point.”
Late Latin
Latin
arista
“A pointed projection or bristle, preserving the original grain-related sense.”
Old French
Old French
areste
“A sharp ridge, edge, or spine; the source of the architectural sense.”
16th–17th Century
English
arris
“A sharp edge where two faces or surfaces meet, especially in masonry or carpentry.”
Modern English
English
arris
“An external angle or sharp edge formed by the intersection of two surfaces.”