Joist (noun)

A horizontal structural member in a building, used to support the floor or ceiling.

Origin:

From the old french word "giste" meaning "a beam".

Examples:

1. The joists were spaced 16 inches apart in the floor framing.
2. He had to crawl through the crawl space to access the joists.
3. The joists were made of wood, but some newer construction uses steel joists.
4. The joists were notched to fit around the plumbing pipes.
5. The joist hangers were used to secure the joists to the ledger board.