jamb
UK[dʒæm]US[dʒæm]
n
A side post or surface of a doorway, window, or fireplace.
Etymology
The word 'jamb' entered English in the 14th century from the Old French 'jambe', meaning "leg, vertical support". This French term itself derives from the Late Latin 'gamba', meaning "hoof" or "leg", which was borrowed from the Greek 'kampē', signifying "a bend or joint". The semantic evolution is a clear metaphorical shift from the anatomical "leg" or "bent joint" to the architectural "upright supporting post" at the side of an opening, perfectly capturing the structural role of the component.
Analysis
The word 'jamb' is a simplex loanword from French. It does not contain separable, meaningful morphemes within its modern English spelling.
Examples
He painted the window jamb a bright white.
The door wouldn't close properly because the jamb was warped.
She leaned against the stone jamb of the fireplace.