Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Girder

Girder , noun

[From Gird to sneer at.]

One who girds; a satirist.

Girder , noun

[From Gird to encircle.]

1.
One who, or that which, girds.
2.
(Architecture & Engineering) A main beam; a stright, horizontal beam to span an opening or carry weight, such as ends of floor beams, etc.; hence, a framed or built-up member discharging the same office, technically called a compound girder. See Illusts. of Frame, and Doubleframed floor, under Double.
Collocations (5)
Bowstring girder or Box girder , etc. See under Bowstring, Box, etc.
Girder bridge , See under Bridge.
Lattice girder , a girder consisting of longitudinal bars united by diagonal crossing bars.
Half-lattice girder , a girder consisting of horizontal upper and lower bars connected by a series of diagonal bars sloping alternately in opposite directions so as to divide the space between the bars into a series of triangles. — Knight
Sandwich girder , a girder consisting of two parallel wooden beams, between which is an iron plate, the whole clamped together by iron bolts.