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Glite Dictionary
🧱 A corner stone 🔧 A locking wedge
coigne

coigne

9.9
A stone that sticks out at a building corner or arch to hold it together
  • noun
  • /ˈkɔɪn/
  • Archaic
translation icon : canto
  • The mason placed the coigne at the apex of the stone arch, completing its form.

Examples

  • With careful precision, he shaped the coigne to fit perfectly into the structure.

  • Ancient cathedrals often feature intricately carved coignes at their corners and arches.

  • The coigne is essential for the arch.

  • Look at that coigne!

  • Ancient cathedrals often feature intricately carved coignes at their corners and arches.

  • The mason placed the coigne at the apex of the stone arch, completing its form.

  • With careful precision, he shaped the coigne to fit perfectly into the structure.

Synonyms

keystone
vscoigne
1 7.2

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

also applies to projecting corner stones as well as arch apex pieces
headstone
vscoigne
  • Specialized
1 6.4

The middle stone at the top of an arch that holds it together

also refers to projecting corner stones not only arch or vault tops
coign
vscoigne
  • Archaic
9.9

A shaped stone placed at the top of an arch to hold it together

also includes projecting corner stones not only the arch apex
quoin
vscoigne
  • Archaic
9.9

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

also covers projecting corner stones not just the arch apex

Surface Forms

coigne singular
coignes plural

Etymology

Coigne comes from old words like coin and cuneus that mean 'corner' and 'wedge'. Picture a wedge-shaped stone holding and marking the corner of a building, which is why a coigne is the stone at a corner or in an arch.