Beam
/biːm/noun
A long, sturdy piece of timber or metal used to support weight, or a shaft of light.
Did you know?The light-sense of beam is rooted in Old English and is historically linked to the idea of a shining, radiant object, while the structural-sense comes from a different Old English word for a tree or timber, showing how language can merge matter and light.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*baumaz
“tree, wooden beam”
Old English
OE
bēam
“tree; beam; post; musical instrument made of wood”
Old English
OE
bēam
“ray of light; radiance”
Middle English
ME
beam
“timber support; shaft of light”
Modern English
English
beam
“a long structural piece or a shaft of light”