sheathing

American  

[shee-thing] / ˈʃi ðɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person who sheathes.

2. something that sheathes; a covering or outer layer of metal, wood, or other material, as one of metal plates on a ship's bottom, the first covering of boards on a house, etc.

3. material for forming any such covering.

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sheathing British  

/ ˈʃiːðɪŋ /

noun

1. any material used as an outer layer, as on a ship's hull

2. boarding, etc, used to cover the wall studding or roof joists of a timber frame

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Other Word Forms

• undersheathing noun

Etymology

Origin of sheathing

First recorded in 1490–1500; sheathe + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Some of the crucial work done at Bell Labs might now seem mundane: for example, how to fabricate sheathing so undersea cables wouldn’t be chewed through by Toredo worms.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 28, 2026

A graduate of music videos, Saxon — like the Gondrys and Jonzes before him — excels at sheathing his yarn in idiosyncratic humor, atmosphere and technique.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2025

They work well to secure shingles to roofs or tar paper to wall and roof sheathing, but that’s about the extent of their usefulness.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 11, 2023

Steven Kirk, above, and Roberto Martinez installed wooden sheathing outside New Moon Natural Foods to prevent further snow damage in Tahoe City.

From New York Times • Mar. 21, 2023

Pet heaved a sigh and pulled itself together, sheathing the threat it had been sending out.

From "Pet" by Akwaeke Emezi

Related Words

• bark
• coating
• crust
• fur
• husk
• jacket
• membrane
• rind
• sheath
• surface