noun / verb
lap
The covering of one part by another.
Each roofing sheet laps over the edge of the next.
Etymology
The older word meant a fold or loose flap of material. The overlapping sense concerns a part extending over another, like one flap laid across its neighbor.
More examples
- A two-inch lap keeps the seam covered.
- Lap the fabric edges before stitching them together.
- The installer lapped the metal sheets at each joint.
Forms
lap · laps · lapped · lapping
Similar words
- overlap
- Overlap is more common outside construction and other technical work.