Word
scaffold
Phoneticsscaf·fold
US/ˈskæfəɫd/
UK/skˈæfəʊld/
Definition
n. a temporary structure made of metal poles and wooden boards. You use it to stand on when you are building or painting a tall house.
n. a temporary structure used to support workers and materials during the construction, maintenance, or repair of buildings and other large structures.
Examples
“The workers set up a metal scaffold to reach the roof.”
“The historic cathedral was hidden behind a massive scaffold for two years while the stone walls were cleaned.”
“Safety regulations require that every scaffold be inspected by a certified professional before any heavy equipment is moved onto the platforms.”
Examples
simple
“The workers set up a metal scaffold to reach the roof.”
contextual
“The historic cathedral was hidden behind a massive scaffold for two years while the stone walls were cleaned.”
complex
“Safety regulations require that every scaffold be inspected by a certified professional before any heavy equipment is moved onto the platforms.”
Usage
Often used in the plural form 'scaffolding' to refer to the material or the structure as a whole.
Real-World Examples
“On stage is a scaffold structure with a cutaway design and a white facade featuring several doors, which soon frame a series of comings and goings.” “These signals tell cells to attach to the silk scaffold.” Etymology
From Middle English scaffold, scaffalde, from Anglo-Norman schaffaut, eschaffaut, eschafal, eschaiphal, escadafaut (“platform to see a tournament”) (Modern French échafaud), from Old French es- (indicating movement away or separation) (from Latin ex- (“out, away”)) + chafaud, chafaut, chafault, caafau, caafaus, cadefaut (“scaffold for executing a criminal”), from Vulgar Latin *catafalcum (“viewing stage”), possibly from Ancient Greek κατα- (kata-, “back; against”) + Latin -falicum (from fala, phala (“wooden gallery or tower; siege tower”)).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
Idioms
go to the scaffold — To be executed (usually by hanging or beheading).
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/scaffold