Word
buttress
Phoneticsbut·tress, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈbətɹəs/
UK/bˈʌtɹəs/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a strong support built against a wall to hold it up and stop it from falling over.
n. a projecting structure of stone, brick, or concrete built against a wall to strengthen and support it, especially in churches, cathedrals, and old fortified buildings.
Examples
“Stone buttresses hold up the old church walls.”
“The engineers added concrete buttresses to the bridge supports after cracks appeared during the inspection.”
“The cathedral's flying buttresses, arcing outward like stone ribs, allowed medieval builders to raise walls of glass that would otherwise have collapsed under their own weight.”
Examples
simple
“Stone buttresses hold up the old church walls.”
contextual
“The engineers added concrete buttresses to the bridge supports after cracks appeared during the inspection.”
complex
“The cathedral's flying buttresses, arcing outward like stone ribs, allowed medieval builders to raise walls of glass that would otherwise have collapsed under their own weight.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “buttress” in context.
Verb
01. add buttress
“They had to add buttresses to the south wall after cracks began to appear.”
verb + noun
02. build buttress
“Engineers decided to build buttresses to prevent the retaining wall from collapsing.”
verb + noun
03. buttress protrudes
“A series of decorative buttresses protrudes from the side of the chapel.”
noun + verb
04. buttress supports
“The heavy stone buttress supports the entire weight of the vaulted ceiling.”
noun + verb
05. strengthen with buttress
“The ancient fortifications were strengthened with buttresses during the siege.”
verb + prep + noun
Adjective
06. external buttress
“The structural integrity of the tower relies on several external buttresses.”
adj + noun
07. flying buttress
“Flying buttresses allowed Gothic architects to build much thinner walls.”
adj + noun
08. stone buttress
“The cathedral's weight is supported by massive stone buttresses.”
adj + noun
Noun
09. row of buttresses
“A row of buttresses was installed along the embankment to resist the water pressure.”
noun + prep + noun
10. act as a buttress
“The thick pillars act as a buttress against the force of the sloping roof.”
11. reinforce with stone buttresses
“The medieval bridge was reinforced with stone buttresses to withstand the spring floods.”
Real-World Examples
“External flying buttresses were typically used, but around 1300, in the monumental Cistercian churches in Salem and Sedlec, massive buttresses were added to the inter-nave pillars, rising higher to support the external walls of the clerestory.” “Among the architectural innovations made by these builders, the flying buttress played a pivotal role: by efficiently removing thrust, concentrated at specific points on the upper walls of Gothic buildings, to far-removed supports, the flying buttress made it possible to transform, over the course of the late-twelfth and” “Concern for wind loading, we believe, led the builders of the Paris nave to introduce the flying buttress just before 1180.” Etymology
From Old French ars bouterez (noun, literally “supporting arcs”), from bouterez (adjective), oblique plural of bouteret (rare in the singular), from Frankish bôtan, from Proto-Germanic bautaną (“to push”). Ultimately cognate with beat.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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