Architectural underside

• Intrados of an arch
• Underside of a cornice
• Very suited to accommodate fine architectural feature
• The underside of a part of a building (such as an arch or overhang or beam etc.)
• Overhang's underside

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. the underside of a part of a building (such as an arch or overhang or beam etc.)

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
architectural term referring to under-faces, 1610s, from Italian soffita , fem. of soffitto "ceiling," noun use of adjective meaning "fixed beneath," from Vulgar Latin *suffictus "fastened below," from Latin suffixus (see suffix (n.)).

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. 1 (context architecture English) The visible underside of an arch, balcony, beam, cornice, staircase, vault or any other architectural element. 2 (context pipe technology English) The top point of the inside open section of a pipe or box conduit.

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
Soffit (from , formed as a ceiling; directly from suffictus for suffixus , , to fix underneath), in architecture , describes the underside of any construction element. Examples of soffits include: the underside of an arch or architrave (whether supported ...

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Soffit \Sof"fit\, n. [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.) The under side of the subordinate parts ...