# truss

> English word · Noun · IPA /tɹʌs/ · frequency rank #19,998

## Definitions
1. A bandage and belt used to hold a hernia in place.
2. A structure made up of one or more triangular units made from straight beams of wood or metal, which is used to support a structure as in a roof or bridge.
3. A triangular bracket.
4. An old English farming measurement. One truss of straw equalled 36 pounds, a truss of old hay equalled 56 pounds, a truss of new hay equalled 60 pounds, and 36 trusses equalled one load.
5. A bundle; a package.
6. A padded jacket or dress worn under armour, to protect the body from the effects of friction.
7. Part of a woman's dress; a stomacher.
8. A tuft of flowers or cluster of fruits formed at the top of the main stem of certain plants.
9. The rope or iron used to keep the centre of a yard to the mast.

## Etymology
From Middle English trusse, from Old French trousse, torse, from Vulgar Latin *torsus, variant of Classical Latin tortus, past participle of torqueō. Doublet of torse and trousse.

## Easily confused with
- **tss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/truss-vs-tss)
- **tusk** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/truss-vs-tusk)
- **tugs** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/truss-vs-tugs)
- **trust** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/truss-vs-trust)
- **truth** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/truss-vs-truth)
- **tryst** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/truss-vs-tryst)
- **trusts** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/truss-vs-trusts)
- **truths** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/truss-vs-truths)
- **trusty** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/truss-vs-trusty)
- **tru** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tru-vs-truss)
- **true** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/true-vs-truss)
- **thus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/thus-vs-truss)
- **toss** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/toss-vs-truss)
- **Tess** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tess-vs-truss)
- **tres** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tres-vs-truss)
- **tris** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tris-vs-truss)
- **tass** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/tass-vs-truss)
- **trump** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trump-vs-truss)
- **truly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/truly-vs-truss)
- **trees** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/trees-vs-truss)

## Common misspellings (6)
`rtuss`, `trruss`, `trsus`, `trus`, `ttruss`, `turss`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/truss