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Glite Dictionary
box girder

box girder

7.0
A beam with a hollow box shape used in bridges and large structures
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : viga de caja
  • The box girder is crucial for the bridge.

Examples

  • Engineers often choose a box girder for long-span highway overpasses due to its structural efficiency.

  • During the inspection, they discovered a crack in the steel box girder supporting the railway bridge.

  • The new bridge was designed with a box girder to provide greater strength and stability.

  • Many box girders are made from steel to ensure strength.

  • A box girder bridge is designed to support heavy loads using its strong, hollow structure.

  • Engineers often choose a box girder for large bridges because of its excellent load-bearing capacity.

  • The construction team installed a box girder made of steel to ensure durability and stability in the new overpass.

Synonyms

girder
vsbox girder
  • Specialized
14 5.0

A long strong beam usually made of steel that supports buildings or bridges

is a specific hollow rectangular form often used for large bridge spans
box beam
vsbox girder
  • Specialized
6.7

A long hollow structure made from boards with a rectangular shape that supports parts of a building

is used mainly for bridges and larger structures with stronger materials

Surface Forms

box girder singular
box girders plural

Morphology

box + girder

The meaning 'a girder in the form of a box' is directly and compositionally derived from 'box' (indicating a hollow, rectangular/shaped form) + 'girder' (a strong beam), so the phrase literally names a beam with a box-like cross-section. This modifier+head compounding pattern is productive and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents should be able to infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Box girder comes from its shape: a large beam, a girder, made like a hollow box. That's why the name means 'a strong, hollow beam' used in bridges and big structures.