abat-sons

noun

ˌäˌbäˈsōⁿ,

French ȧbȧsōⁿ

plural abat-sons

-ōⁿz,

French -ōⁿ

: a device for throwing sound downward (such as louver boards in a belfry)

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, literally, "(it) strikes down (abat) the sounds (sons)," from abattre "to strike down," + sons, plural of son "sound," going back to Old French

First Known Use

circa 1879, in the meaning defined above

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