A longitudinal structural member bridging two or more rafters of a roof.
Pronounced as (IPA)
[ˈpɜːɹlɪn]
Etymology
Uncertain. Information on the etymology is scant at best. According to Websters it comes from 15th-century English. According to the Oxford Concise Dictionary, it is "Middle English, perhaps of French origin". Other sources reference Middle English or 15th-century English.