soffit
noun
sof·fit ˈsä-fət 
: the underside of a part or member of a building (as of an overhang or staircase)
especially : the intrados of an arch
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web Above it all, the soffit at the ceiling is the setting for a 95-foot, black-and-white mural from Fort Lauderdale artist Rosanna Kalis (which will be layered in projections from Jasper Mosher of The Electric Dream Machine). 
Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 15 Sep. 2022 One of Chapman-Henderson’s favorite tips is to caulk and brace roof ventilation soffit vents to reduce the amount of water blown into your attic during hurricane-force winds and rain. Washington Post, 4 Jan. 2022 The first level opens to an elegant formal dining that offers custom built-ins and a silver leaf soffit ceiling. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 9 Aug. 2022 Roosevelt’s pavilion will get a new heating and air conditioning system, soffit and fascia work, exterior concrete work around the front and sides of the building. Carrie Napoleon, chicagotribune.com, 14 Dec. 2021 Roosevelt’s pavilion will get a new heating and air conditioning system, soffit and fascia work, exterior concrete work around the front and sides of the building. Carrie Napoleon, chicagotribune.com, 14 Dec. 2021 Roosevelt’s pavilion will get a new heating and air conditioning system, soffit and fascia work, exterior concrete work around the front and sides of the building. Carrie Napoleon, chicagotribune.com, 14 Dec. 2021 Roosevelt’s pavilion will get a new heating and air conditioning system, soffit and fascia work, exterior concrete work around the front and sides of the building. Carrie Napoleon, chicagotribune.com, 14 Dec. 2021 Roosevelt’s pavilion will get a new heating and air conditioning system, soffit and fascia work, exterior concrete work around the front and sides of the building. Carrie Napoleon, chicagotribune.com, 14 Dec. 2021 See More
Ben Crandell, Sun Sentinel, 15 Sep. 2022 One of Chapman-Henderson’s favorite tips is to caulk and brace roof ventilation soffit vents to reduce the amount of water blown into your attic during hurricane-force winds and rain. Washington Post, 4 Jan. 2022 The first level opens to an elegant formal dining that offers custom built-ins and a silver leaf soffit ceiling. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 9 Aug. 2022 Roosevelt’s pavilion will get a new heating and air conditioning system, soffit and fascia work, exterior concrete work around the front and sides of the building. Carrie Napoleon, chicagotribune.com, 14 Dec. 2021 Roosevelt’s pavilion will get a new heating and air conditioning system, soffit and fascia work, exterior concrete work around the front and sides of the building. Carrie Napoleon, chicagotribune.com, 14 Dec. 2021 Roosevelt’s pavilion will get a new heating and air conditioning system, soffit and fascia work, exterior concrete work around the front and sides of the building. Carrie Napoleon, chicagotribune.com, 14 Dec. 2021 Roosevelt’s pavilion will get a new heating and air conditioning system, soffit and fascia work, exterior concrete work around the front and sides of the building. Carrie Napoleon, chicagotribune.com, 14 Dec. 2021 Roosevelt’s pavilion will get a new heating and air conditioning system, soffit and fascia work, exterior concrete work around the front and sides of the building. Carrie Napoleon, chicagotribune.com, 14 Dec. 2021 See More Word History
Etymology
French soffite, from Italian soffitto, from Vulgar Latin *suffictus, past participle of Latin suffigere to fasten underneath — more at suffix
First Known Use
1592, in the meaning defined above