lintel

noun

lin·​tel ˈlin-tᵊl 

: a horizontal architectural member spanning and usually carrying the load above an opening

Illustration of lintel

• 1 lintel

Examples of lintel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

One had to crane one’s neck (almost impossibly) to get a glimpse of the maquette which Brancusi made for the lintel of the Kiss gate (1935–37)—part of his war memorial in Târgu Jiu, Romania. — Ara H. Merjian, ARTnews.com, 16 Aug. 2026

The interiors, updated by a past owner, didn’t gel with her own taste, but the original bones still wowed, especially the dynamic rooflines, internal masonry walls, and chunky marble accents like lintels and sills. — Sam Cochran, Architectural Digest, 22 May 2026

The mural fills the entire wall, punctuated only by three doors, and Shahn cleverly integrates their lintels into his narrative. — Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026

The Jews were instructed to sacrifice a lamb or kid and smear its blood on the house’s lintel or doorpost. — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 2 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French *lintel, alteration of linter threshold, from Late Latin limitaris, from Latin, constituting a boundary, from limit-, limes boundary

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lintel

• pintle
• quintal
• quintile

Kids Definition

lintel

noun

lin·​tel ˈlint-ᵊl 

: a horizontal piece across the top of an opening (as of a door) that carries the weight of the structure above it