lath

American  

[lath, lahth] / læθ, lɑθ /

noun

plural

laths

1. a thin, narrow strip of wood, used with other strips to form latticework, a backing for plaster or stucco, a support for slates and other roofing materials, etc.

2. a group or quantity of such strips.

3. work consisting of such strips.

4. wire mesh or the like used in place of wooden laths as a backing for plasterwork.

5. a thin, narrow, flat piece of wood used for any purpose.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cover or line with laths.

lath British  

/ lɑːθ /

noun

1. one of several thin narrow strips of wood used to provide a supporting framework for plaster, tiles, etc

2. expanded sheet metal, wire mesh, etc, used to provide backing for plaster or rendering

3. any thin strip of wood

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verb

1. (tr) to attach laths to (a ceiling, roof, floor, etc)

Other Word Forms

• lathlike adjective

Etymology

Origin of lath

before 1000; Middle English la ( th ) the; replacing Middle English latt, Old English lætt; cognate with German Latte, Dutch lat

Example Sentences

And then there were moments of “11,000 Strings” that sounded like the musical aviaries of Olivier Messiaen emanating from a far away lath house.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 6, 2025

The council said there were no concerns about the material, but ceilings may be at risk if the lath and plaster - often found above suspended ceilings - were damaged.

From BBC • Oct. 2, 2024

Lee points out a nest of bees that thrum inside the wall near the broad main staircase, the hive built amid the exposed lath.

From Washington Post • Aug. 10, 2021

The only way to truly fix it, he said, was to tear out the plaster, down to the beams, inspect and rebuild the rotting lath and replaster the entire ceiling.

From New York Times • Jul. 1, 2020

The dining table was a smooth piece of lath supported on both ends by stones.

From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien

Related Words

• girder
• joist
• piling
• pillar
• plank
• pole
• shaft
• sill
• timber