Bolection
/bəˈlɛkʃən/noun
A projecting molding, especially one standing proud of the surface around a raised panel, door, or piece of furniture.
Did you know?Bolection molding became especially fashionable in seventeenth-century paneling and furniture, where its pronounced projection created dramatic light-and-shadow effects.
Etymological Timeline
17th Century
English
bolection
“A projecting architectural molding, particularly around a raised panel.”
17th Century
English
bolection molding
“A raised molding applied over or around the edges of a panel.”
18th Century
English
bolection
“A term used in architectural and furniture descriptions for a prominent, projecting molding.”
19th Century
English
bolection
“A standard technical term in architectural and decorative-arts vocabulary.”
Modern English
English
bolection
“A raised molding that projects beyond the surrounding surface; the word’s ultimate origin remains uncertain.”
Explore more surprising origins