# cantilever

/kˈæntɪlˌiːvɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/cantilever
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. architectural support

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a long beam that is fixed at one end and sticks out to hold up a balcony or roof.

For teachers: a rigid structural element, such as a beam or plate, anchored at only one end to a support from which it protrudes.

- The modern house features a large balcony held up by a steel cantilever.
- The architect utilised a reinforced concrete cantilever to create the dramatic overhanging roof without the need for external columns.

Usage: Often used in the context of bridges, balconies, and modern roof designs.

### 2. to project outward

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

to build something so that it sticks out from a wall without support at the far end.

For teachers: to construct or extend a beam or structure in the manner of a cantilever; to project outward from a fixed support.

- The upper floor was designed to cantilever over the garden below.
- By choosing to cantilever the terrace, the engineers preserved the view of the valley while maintaining the building's structural integrity.

Usage: Frequently appears in the passive voice or as a participial adjective, such as 'a cantilevered walkway'.

### 3. skating move

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a move in ice skating where the skater leans far back while moving on the ice.

For teachers: a figure skating move where the skater travels on a deep edge with knees bent, leaning the torso backward until it is nearly parallel to the ice.

- The crowd cheered when the skater performed a perfect cantilever across the rink.
- The athlete's signature cantilever required immense core strength and flexibility to maintain the low, backward-leaning posture at high speed.

## Examples

- The bridge uses a cantilever to span the deep valley.
- The architect designed the balcony as a cantilever, allowing the floor to extend over the garden without any visible pillars.
- Modern skyscrapers often employ a cantilever system to distribute the immense weight of upper floors across a smaller footprint, creating more open space at the building's base.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.