Definition

1. Noun:
   • (Architecture) A step on the top of a gable wall: A "crow step" is a squared, step-like projection found along the sloping sides of a gable wall, creating a distinctive staircase-like silhouette against the sky. This feature is characteristic of certain architectural styles, particularly in Northern European and Scottish vernacular architecture.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The old Scottish manor house was easily identifiable by the distinctive crow steps on its gables.
  • The architect incorporated traditional crow steps into the design to evoke a medieval aesthetic.

Advanced Usage

• "Crow-stepped gable": A gable wall whose sides are built in a series of steps rather than a straight, sloping line. This is the most common architectural context for the term.
  • The town is famous for its historic buildings with crow-stepped gables.

Variants and Related Words

• Corbie step (n): A synonym for "crow step," used primarily in Scottish English.
  • The term "corbie step" is derived from the Scots word for a crow or raven.
• Crow-stepping (adj): Describing something that has or resembles crow steps.
  • The crow-stepping design of the parapet is a protected historical feature.

Synonyms

• Corbie step: (Architecture) An identical term for a step on a gable wall.
• Step gable: A more general term for a gable constructed with a stepped outline.

Related Phrases

• Stepped gable: A broader architectural term for a gable with a stepped profile, which may include crow steps as a specific type.

Noun

1. (architecture) a step on the top of a gable wall