Eaves
/iːvz/noun
The lower edges of a roof that project beyond the walls of a building.
Did you know?The modern plural form preserves an Old English word, while the singular *efes* faded away, leaving English with a word that feels plural even when it names one architectural feature.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂ep-
“to cover or protect”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*ubaz / *ufaz
“a border, edge, or projecting part”
Old English
OE
efes
“edge, border, fringe; overhanging lower edge of a roof”
Middle English
ME
eves
“the lower projecting edge of a roof”
Modern English
English
eaves
“the overhanging lower edges of a roof”