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coffered

coffered

8.2
A ceiling with a pattern of sunken panels that adds depth
  • adjective
  • /ˈkɔːfərd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : con paneles hundidos
  • The library's coffered ceiling added an elegant touch to the historic building.

Examples

  • And you can see it used here for the wall and also for the coffered ceiling above.

  • They had like the little coffered ceiling and then this weird bar, everything was taken out.

  • High Coffered Ceilings:

    Blog text (2)
  • We do have substantial columns with projecting and tablatures coffered ceiling above, and in this case a lentil and then an arcuated lentil.

  • In the grand hall, the coffered design of the ceiling emphasized the grandeur of the space.

  • Visitors admired the coffered panels in the dining room, which enhanced its classic decor.

Synonyms

recessed
vscoffered
1 5.2

Lower than the surface around it so it looks sunken

is a patterned series of sunken panels used as a decorative ceiling feature

How Decorative

ornate
  • Literature
26 7.0
coffered
  • Specialized
8.2
recessed
1 5.2
plain
208 1.0

Surface Forms

coffered positive

Morphology

coffered = coffer (semi-transparent) = coffer + ed

Formed from 'coffer' + -ed, but the architectural sense ('sunken panels') is specialized and may not be obvious to learners who only know 'coffer' as a chest.

Etymology

Coffered comes from coffer, an old word for a 'chest' or 'box'. Builders used the same idea for ceilings because each sunken panel looks like a small box, so a coffered ceiling is full of sunken 'boxes'.