lap joint

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

lap′ joint′, 

1. Building Also called plain lap. a joint, as between two pieces of metal or timber, in which the pieces overlap without any change in form.
2. Building any of various joints between two members, as timbers, in which an end or section of one is partly cut away to be overlapped by an end or section of the other, often so that flush surfaces result.
• 1815–25
lap′-joint′ed, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

lap joint noun

1. a joint made by placing one member over another and fastening them together
   Also called: lapped joint

ˈlap-ˌjointed adjective