wythe

noun /waɪθ/

1. A continuous vertical section of masonry, one unit in thickness.

   That wall has to be at least three wythes of brick to support your load.

2. A partition between flues in a chimney.

   A chimney runs from the base of the first flue liner to the top of the last flue liner, or to any rain cap above it. Attach single-wythe chimneys to the house.

Where it comes from

Uncertain. * Perhaps an alteration of width. * Perhaps related to withe (“flexible twig; band of twigs”), from Old English wiþþe (“tie, band”). The chimney-partition sense may derive from the fact that a single wythe or thickness of brick has often been used for such partitions.

Adapted from the Wiktionary entry wythe (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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