sheathing

noun

sheath·​ing ˈshē-t͟hiŋ 

-thiŋ

1

: the action of one that sheathes something

2

: material used to sheathe something

especially : the first covering of boards or of waterproof material on the outside wall of a frame house or on a timber roof

Examples of sheathing in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Strengthen roof sheathing connections: When reroofing, increase your roof deck attachment strength by having the roofer re-nail, add nails, and/or upgrade the nails to ring shank nails as appropriate to meet current code requirements for high-wind areas. —Kelly Puente, The Tennessean, 18 Jan. 2024

New England style barns normally had a gable roof and vertical sheathing. —Pamm Cooper, Hartford Courant, 18 Feb. 2024

The manufacturing process locks 70% of its carbon inside the product, such as wall sheathing, roof decking, and subflooring. —Jennifer Castenson, Forbes, 14 Oct. 2024

Neurons become hyperactive, astrocytes and microglia become stuffed with lipids and less effective, and cells called oligodendrocytes fail to maintain the sheathing around nerve fibers. —Byjocelyn Kaiser, science.org, 12 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sheathing

noun

sheath·​ing ˈshē-t͟hiŋ 

-thiŋ

: material used to sheathe something

especially : the first covering of boards or of waterproof material on the outside wall of a frame house or on a timber roof