Engineering English
Stirrup
Civil Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A closed loop of steel reinforcement used to resist shear and torsion forces in concrete beams and columns.
Example in context
“The stirrup spacing was increased to reduce congestion in the beam-column joint.”
“Kiriş-kolon birleşim bölgesindeki sıkışıklığı azaltmak için etriye aralığı artırıldı.”
Where engineers use it
Stirrups are provided in beams and columns to resist shear forces and provide confinement. Engineers detail stirrup spacing based on shear demand and code limits.
Synonyms: transverse reinforcement, shear reinforcement
Practice: can you use “Stirrup” at work?
A junior engineer is designing a beam and must determine the required stirrup spacing given the shear force diagram.
Show a model answer
“Check the stirrup spacing against the shear capacity requirements.”
“Stirrup” in 21 languages
| English | Stirrup |
|---|---|
| Turkish | etriye |
| French | étrier |
| German | Bügel |
| Spanish | estribo |
| Chinese | 箍筋 |
| Arabic | كانة |
| Portuguese | estribo |
| Russian | хомут |
| Japanese | スターラップ |
| Italian | staffa |
| Vietnamese | đai thép |
| Hindi | स्टिरप |
| Thai | สเตอร์รัป |
| Indonesian | sengkang |
| Korean | 스터럽 |
| Bengali | স্টিরাপ |
| Dutch | beugel |
| Swedish | bygel |
| Finnish | stiruppi |
| Ukrainian | хомут |
Frequently asked questions
What does Stirrup mean in engineering?
A closed loop of steel reinforcement used to resist shear and torsion forces in concrete beams and columns. In Civil Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce Stirrup?
Stirrup is pronounced /ˈstɪrəp/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is Stirrup used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “The stirrup spacing was increased to reduce congestion in the beam-column joint.”
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