Wainscot(ting)

[sluggo]

Wainscot, n.

AHD:
1. A facing or paneling, usually of wood, applied to the walls of a room
2. The lower part of an interior wall when finished in a material different from that of the upper part

trans.verb wain·scot·ed or wain·scot·ted, wain·scot·ing or wain·scot·ting, wain·scots
To line or panel (a room or wall) with wainscoting.


[Middle English, from Middle Dutch waghenscot : perhaps waghen, wagen, wagon (from the quality of wood used for carriagework); see wagon + scot, partition; see skeud- in Indo-European roots.]

Interesting etymology. I had thought that wainscotting could be a noun though.

(inspired by Slava's hoarding)

[Slava]

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but wainscot(ing) is not what we Americans call baseboards?

Wainscot is the taller panels that go around the room in old-world buildings?

Or no?

[Stargzer]

No, wainscotting is the panelling that cames up to (usually) a little less than halfway up a wall, often between the baseboard and a chair rail.

In the 1950s and 1960s it was sometimes knotty pine paneling, but I don't know if you can find that anymore. All panelling these days seems to be about 5/32" thick or so.