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Glite Dictionary
🔩 A locking wedge 🏛️ A top stone
coign

coign

9.9
A shaped stone placed at the top of an arch to hold it together
  • noun
  • /kɔɪn/
  • Archaic
translation icon : clave
  • Skilled masons carefully positioned the coign as the final piece of the arch.

Examples

  • The architect emphasized the importance of the coign in distributing the weight above the doorway.

  • During restoration, the original coign was found to be intricately carved with symbols.

  • A coign is essential for the arch.

  • The coign holds the structure together.

  • The ancient coign at the top of the stone arch was beautifully adorned with floral designs.

  • In the construction of the bridge, the workers installed the final coign to ensure stability.

  • The architect explained that the coign plays a critical role in supporting the weight of the structure.

Synonyms

keystone
vscoign
1 7.2

A central stone at the top of an arch that holds it in place

has identical meaning but is a different name for the same stone
quoin
vscoign
  • Archaic
9.9

The central stone at the top of an arch that holds other stones

is the same concept but uses a different term
coigne
vscoign
  • Archaic
9.9

A stone that sticks out at a building corner or arch to hold it together

refers only to the stone at the arch apex rather than corner projections

Surface Forms

coign singular
coigns plural

Etymology

Coign comes from an old French word coin meaning 'corner' or 'wedge'. As the keystone at the top of an arch, a coign is the wedge or corner piece that helps hold the arch together, which is why the name fits its job.