Definition of the word transom

The word "transom" originated in the medieval English language, around the 13th century. It derives from the Anglo-French word "tresmire," which means "upper window or opening" in Old French. The original sense of the term "transom" referred to a horizontal bar or piece of wood that was placed across the top of a door or window opening. This transom bar served as a reply or refusal to an offer or a summons, as indicated by the Old French word "mire," which means "a peering" or "a watching." This meaning is still present in the modern French word "tramble," which denotes a peephole or a small window. In the course of time, the term "transom" evolved to denote various architectural elements in a building, such as the horizontal bar or piece of glass that separates the upper and lower parts of a fixed window, or the horizontal structural member that forms part of a fireplace or chimney chase. Overall, the word "transom" reflects the historical evolution of architectural elements and the ways in which they have been named and classified over time.