noun
cornice
KOR-nis
Cornice (noun) means a projecting horizontal band at the top of a wall, on the outside of a building or inside a room. Example: “The old house had a carved stone cornice.”
noun
1
A projecting horizontal band at the top of a wall, on the outside of a building or inside a room.
"The old house had a carved stone cornice."
"They painted the plaster cornice white."
"Rainwater ran off the cornice and away from the wall."
2
mountaineering An overhanging edge of snow along a mountain ridge or crest.
"The climbers kept well back from the cornice."
"A cornice can break away under a person's weight."
"The wind had built a huge cornice along the ridge."
How to use cornice
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA projecting band at the top of a wall, or an overhang of snow on a ridge.
When to use it
It is a technical term in building and mountaineering.
Common pairings
a plaster cornice
a decorative cornice
a snow cornice
cornice moulding
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Etymology
The word came from Middle French corniche or from Italian cornice. Its earlier source is uncertain and may be a Latin word for a crow or a Latin word for a curved line.
Synonyms
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snow cornice
pelmet
valance
Rhymes for cornice
See all rhymes for cornice →Frequently asked questions
What is a cornice on a building?
It is a horizontal feature that projects from the top of a wall. It can carry rainwater away from the wall or serve as decoration.
What is a snow cornice?
It is an overhanging edge of snow on a ridge or mountain crest. Walkers and climbers avoid standing on it.
What is the plural of cornice?
The plural is cornices.
What is the meaning of cornice?
"cornice" (noun) means a projecting horizontal band at the top of a wall, on the outside of a building or inside a room.
