Soffit
Pronunciation : Sof"fit
Part of Speech : n.
Etymology : [It. soffitta, soffitto, fr. soffiggere to hide, properly, to fix or fasten under, L. suffigere to fasten beneath or below; sub under, beneath + figere to fix, faste: cf. F. soffite.] (Arch.)
Definition : Defn: The under side of the subordinate parts and members of buildings, such as staircases, entablatures, archways, cornices, or the like. See Illust. of Lintel.
Source : Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913