buttress

1 of 2

noun

but·​tress ˈbə-trəs 

1

architecture : a projecting structure of masonry or wood for supporting or giving stability to a wall or building

2

: something that resembles a buttress: such as

a

: a projecting part of a mountain or hill

b

biology : a horny protuberance on a horse's hoof at the heel see hoof illustration

c

botany : the broadened base of a tree trunk or a thickened vertical part of it

3

: something that supports or strengthens

a buttress of the cause of peace

buttressed

ˈbə-trəst 

adjective

Illustration of buttress

• buttress 1

buttress

2 of 2

verb

buttressed; buttressing; buttresses

transitive verb

architecture : to give support or stability to (a wall or building) with a projecting structure of masonry or wood : to furnish or shore up with a buttress (see buttress entry 1 sense 1)

also : support, strengthen

arguments buttressed by solid facts

Did you know?

The word buttress first budded in the world of architecture during the 14th century, when it was used to describe an exterior support that projects from a wall to resist the sideways force, called thrust, created by the load on an arch or roof. The word ultimately comes from the Anglo-French verb buter, meaning "to thrust." Buter is also the source of our verb butt, meaning "to thrust, push, or strike with the head or horns." Buttress developed figurative use relatively soon after its adoption, being applied to anything that supports or strengthens something else. No buts about it: the world would not be the same without buttresses.

Synonyms

Noun

• anchor
• dependence
• dependance
• mainstay
• pillar
• reliance
• standby

Verb

• bear
• bolster
• brace
• carry
• prop (up)
• shore (up)
• stay
• support
• sustain
• undergird
• underpin
• uphold

Examples of buttress in a Sentence

Noun

the mother had always been the buttress of our family in trying times

after the wall collapsed, the construction company agreed to rebuild it with a buttress

Verb

The treaty will buttress the cause of peace.

The theory has been buttressed by the results of the experiment.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In the best-case scenario, lower rates would help buttress rising prices that are expected to come from the levies. —Jeff Cox, CNBC, 20 Mar. 2025

Ice shelves like Amery act as buttresses, slowing the flow of glaciers into the sea, and playing a crucial role in stabilizing the Antarctic Ice Sheet. —Kristen Waggoner, Newsweek, 21 Jan. 2025

Verb

The United States was rediscovering its post–Cold War posture, poised to buttress the liberal order and to stem the populist tide. —Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025

The influence of evangelical Christianity has likewise buttressed Republican support among Asian American voters; since 2000, some of the Asian Americans most likely to support Republican candidates identify as evangelical Christians. —Jane Hong / Made By History, TIME, 24 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English butres, from Anglo-French (arche) boteraz thrusting (arch), ultimately from buter to thrust — more at butt entry 3

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing buttress

• flying buttress

Rhymes for buttress

• petrous

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Kids Definition

buttress

1 of 2 noun

but·​tress ˈbə-trəs 

1

: a structure built against a wall or building to give support and strength

2

: something that supports, props, or strengthens

buttress

2 of 2 verb

: to support with or as if with a buttress