Engineering English
Beam
Civil Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A horizontal structural member that resists loads applied perpendicular to its axis, primarily through bending, and transfers them to its supports.
Example in context
“The steel beam over the garage opening must be deep enough to carry the floor loads without excessive deflection.”
“Garaj açıklığının üzerindeki çelik kiriş, döşeme yüklerini aşırı sehim olmadan taşıyacak kadar yüksek kesitli olmalıdır.”
Where engineers use it
Beams appear on every structural drawing and construction site; engineers size them for floors, roofs, and bridges, checking bending, shear, and deflection so loads travel safely to columns or walls.
Practice: can you use “Beam” at work?
During a site visit, a client asks why the new wall opening needs a steel member above it; explain the role of a beam and the forces it must resist.
Show a model answer
“The beam transfers the floor loads to the columns at each end.”
“Beam” in 21 languages
| English | Beam |
|---|---|
| Turkish | Kiriş |
| French | Poutre |
| German | Träger |
| Spanish | Viga |
| Chinese | 梁 |
| Arabic | عارضة |
| Portuguese | Viga |
| Russian | Балка |
| Japanese | 梁 |
| Italian | Trave |
| Vietnamese | Dầm |
| Hindi | बीम |
| Thai | คาน |
| Indonesian | Balok |
| Korean | 보 |
| Bengali | বিম |
| Dutch | Balk |
| Swedish | Balk |
| Finnish | Palkki |
| Ukrainian | Балка |
Frequently asked questions
What does Beam mean in engineering?
A horizontal structural member that resists loads applied perpendicular to its axis, primarily through bending, and transfers them to its supports. In Civil Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Beam?
Beam is pronounced /biːm/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Beam used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The steel beam over the garage opening must be deep enough to carry the floor loads without excessive deflection.”
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