What does arris mean?
An arris is the sharp edge or ridge created where two surfaces meet at an angle, most commonly encountered in masonry, brickwork, joinery, and plasterwork. The term belongs chiefly to the vocabulary of architects, builders, and conservators, who use it when specifying how corners should be finished. Because a raw arris is fragile and prone to chipping, tradespeople frequently soften it with a small bevel known as a chamfer, producing what is called a chamfered arris; related phrases such as 'arris rail' appear in fencing and carpentry. The word entered English in the seventeenth century from French, ultimately deriving from the Latin arista, meaning the bristle or beard of a grain ear — the same root that gives us arête, the term for a knife-edged mountain ridge. Though obscure outside the building trades, the arris is fundamental to how we perceive crisp, well-crafted edges in the built environment.
nounA sharp edge or ridge formed by the meeting of two flat or curved surfaces, especially in masonry, carpentry, and plasterwork.
- A sharp edge or salient angle formed by the intersection of two surfaces, as in brickwork, stonework, joinery, or plastering.
"The stonemason carefully chamfered each arris so the corner would not chip."
"The plasterer ran his trowel along the arris to give the column a perfectly defined edge."
"Old brick quoits often have a weathered arris, softened by centuries of rain and frost."
The plural follows the standard -es pattern and is used mainly in technical and architectural writing.
"The specification calls for all exposed arrises to be chamfered by five millimetres."
Every crisp corner of a stone staircase owes its clean look to an arris — and rounding it off slightly is one of the oldest tricks in the mason's book for keeping edges from chipping away over centuries.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of arris
The word arris entered English in the early seventeenth century, borrowed from French, in which it appears as 'arête' in related forms. It ultimately traces back to the Latin arista, meaning the awn or bristle of an ear of grain, a sense extended metaphorically to any sharp projecting ridge. The same Latin root underlies the English word arista in botany and the geographical term arête for a narrow mountain crest.
How arris is actually used
A technical term used mainly by architects, masons, joiners, and conservators; rare in everyday conversation. In trade contexts, softening or chamfering an arris is standard practice to prevent chipping and injury.
Easily confused with arris
An arris is a sharp architectural edge where two surfaces meet, while an arista is the bristle-like appendage on the tip of a grass floret.
An arris is a man-made edge in building work, whereas an arête is a natural knife-edged mountain ridge formed by glacial erosion.