rib vault

This term is specific to architectural history and structural engineering, primarily associated with Gothic architecture. It describes a system where the structural load is concentrated on a skeleton of stone ribs rather than the entire surface of the ceiling, allowing for thinner walls and larger windows.

In a technical context, it is distinguished from the earlier Romanesque barrel vault or groin vault by its flexibility and ability to cover irregular rectangular spaces. It is almost exclusively used in formal descriptions of ecclesiastical or monumental buildings.