What does "cornice" mean?
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.
Cornice
/ˈkoɹnɪs/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: 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.
- Grammar: cornice is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: cap, capital, ceiling molding, crown.
- Useful contrasts: exterior cornice, inset, no overhang.
- Usage evidence: The ceiling was detailed with an immaculate cornice.
How to use "cornice"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cornice" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cornice" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "cornice" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "cornice" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cornice" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "cap" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "cornice", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 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.
"It is a large square structure, two and a half stories in height, with a hipped roof rising above a handsome cornice with prominent modillions and surmounted by a balustraded belvedere."
- 2 the topmost projecting part of an entablature wordnet
- 3 A decorative element applied at the topmost part of the wall of a room, as with a crown molding.
"That ceiling was covered with square compartments,[...] It was supported by a gilded cornice, carved into a thousand curious shapes and emblems, among which the horned wolf, the crest of the Avonleigh family, was conspicuous."
- 4 a molding at the corner between the ceiling and the top of a wall wordnet
- 5 A decorative element at the topmost portion of certain pieces of furniture, as with a highboy.
"And blood was on the roof, and great gouts of blood on the walls and on the cornice of my bed."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 a decorative framework to conceal curtain fixtures at the top of a window casing wordnet
- 7 An overhanging edge of snow on a ridge or the crest of a mountain and along the sides of gullies.
"Looking to the east we could see Api and the mountains of west Nepal, shapely snow peaks in the distance, while in the immediate foreground, much lower but still dramatic, were the peaks of Panch Chuli IV and V (III was hidden by the lip of a huge cornice), Telkot and Nagling, all of them unclimbed, all steep and challenging."
Verb
- 1 To furnish or decorate with a cornice. transitive
- 2 furnish with a cornice wordnet
Example
"The ceiling was detailed with an immaculate cornice."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cornice"?
Common synonyms include: cap, capital, ceiling molding, crown, frieze, head.
How do you use "cornice" in a sentence?
The ceiling was detailed with an immaculate cornice.
How do you pronounce "cornice"?
Pronounced /ˈkoɹnɪs/.
Etymology
From Middle French corniche or Italian cornice, from Latin cornīx (“crow”).