Added 9 October 2026
cornice
/ˈkɔːnɪs/ noun
Latin root: cornīx Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about cornice at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A horizontal architectural element of a building, projecting forward from the main walls, originally used as a means of directing rainwater away from the building's walls.
- A decorative element applied at the topmost part of the wall of a room, as with a crown molding.
- A decorative element at the topmost portion of certain pieces of furniture, as with a highboy.
verb
Origin
From Middle French corniche or Italian cornice, possibly from either (1) Latin cornīx (“crow”) or (2) Latin coronis (“curved line, flourish in writing”), from Ancient Greek κορωνίς (korōnís). See also corniche.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)