Standard Lemma guide

rabbet

noun · verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈɹæb.ɪt/
  • General-American: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • homophone: rabbit
  • rhymes with -æbɪt

1

noun

Meaning 1

A longitudinal channel, groove, or recess cut out of the edge or face of a plank of wood or other material; especially, one intended to fit another member to form a joint.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: rebate

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Obsolete form of rabbit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, obsolete

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To cut a rabbet in a piece of material.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: rebate

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

a rectangular groove made to hold two pieces together

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: rebate

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: groove, channel

5

verb

Meaning 5

cut a rectangular groove into

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: cut out

6

verb

Meaning 6

join with a rabbet joint

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: join, bring together

History

Etymology

From Middle English rabeten, from Old French raboter, rabouter (“to thrust back”, verb), from Old French re- + boter, bouter. Doublet of rebut. The noun is from Middle English rabet, from Old French rabot, from the verb.

Across languages

Translations

25 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Albanian: vanë — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Bulgarian: жлеб (žleb) — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Bulgarian: фалц (falc) — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Danish: fals — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Finnish: huullos — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • French: feuillure — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • German: Nutnaht — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • German: Falz — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Italian: addentellato — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Māori: awaniao — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Norwegian Bokmål: fals — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Old Norse: gátt — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Polish: wpust — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Polish: wręg — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Polish: rowek — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Russian: шпу́нт (špúnt) — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Swedish: fals — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Ottoman Turkish: ییو (yiv) — channel, groove of recess in e.g. wood
  • Albanian: vetulloj — cut a rabbet
  • Finnish: huultaa — cut a rabbet
  • Italian: addentellare — cut a rabbet
  • Polish: wycinać wręg — cut a rabbet
  • Polish: wyciąć wręg — cut a rabbet
  • Russian: шпунтова́ть (špuntovátʹ) — cut a rabbet
  • Russian: фальцева́ть (falʹcevátʹ) — cut a rabbet