Definition

Noun: A hip roof is a type of roof design where all sides slope downwards to the walls, typically with a fairly gentle pitch. It has no vertical ends (gables); instead, it has sloping ends that meet at a ridge. This design provides stability and is common in various architectural styles.

Usage

The term "hip roof" is used to describe a specific architectural feature of a building. It is a countable noun. * The traditional cottage was characterized by its hip roof. * They chose a hip roof for the new house because of its durability in high winds.

Examples

• The architect recommended a hip roof for better resistance to hurricane-force winds.
• Many bungalows from the 1920s feature a distinctive hip roof.
• Comparing the two designs, the hip roof has more complex framing than a simple gable roof.

Advanced Usage

• Architectural Terminology: In detailed architectural descriptions, a "hip roof" is often contrasted with a "gable roof." A "pyramid hip roof" is a specific variant where all four sides meet at a single point at the top, forming a pyramid shape.
• Compound Forms: The term can appear in compound nouns that specify the roofing material or style, e.g., "slate hip roof" or "Japanese hip roof."

Variants and Related Words

• Hipped Roof: A less common but synonymous term for "hip roof."
• Hip: The external angle formed by the meeting of two sloping sides of a roof. (e.g., "The tiles along the hip were damaged.")
• Gable Roof: The antonymous roof type, which has vertical triangular ends.

Synonyms

• Hipped roof

Antonyms

• Gable roof
• Flat roof (conceptually, as a roof with no or minimal slope)

Related Phrases and Terms

• Hip Rafter: The structural rafter that defines the line of the hip on a roof.
• To build a hip roof: The action of constructing this roof type.
• Hip and Valley Roof: A more complex roof design that incorporates both hips (external angles) and valleys (internal angles).

Noun

1. a roof having sloping ends as well as sloping sides