Editing Gable (section)

{{Short description|Architectural feature}}
{{About|the architectural feature|a roof design|Gable roof||Gable (disambiguation)}}
[[File:Gables.jpg|thumb|A single-story house with three gables, although only two can be seen (highlighted in yellow). This arrangement is a ''crossed gable'' roof]]
[[File:Rantakatu 2 Oulu 20180520.jpg|thumb|Gable in Finland]]
[[File:176 & 178 St. John's Place Park Slope.jpg|thumb|Decorative gable roof at 176–178 St. John's Place between Sixth and Seventh Avenue in the [[Park Slope]] neighborhood of [[Brooklyn, New York City]].]]

A '''gable''' is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting [[roof pitch]]es. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesthetic concerns. The term '''gable wall''' or '''gable end''' more commonly refers to the entire wall, including the gable and the wall below it. Some types of roof do not have a gable (for example [[hip roof]]s do not). One common type of roof with gables, the '[[gable roof]]', is named after its prominent gables.

A [[parapet]] made of a series of curves ('''shaped gable''',{{sfn|Clarke|2010|p=106}} see also [[Dutch gable]]) or horizontal steps ([[crow-stepped gable]]) may hide the diagonal lines of the roof.

Gable ends of more recent buildings are often treated in the same way as the Classic [[pediment]] form. But unlike Classical structures, which operate through [[post and lintel|trabeation]], the gable ends of many buildings are actually bearing-wall structures.

Gable style is also used in the design of [[fabric structure]]s, with varying degree sloped roofs, dependent on how much snowfall is expected.

Sharp gable roofs are a characteristic of the Gothic and classical Greek styles of architecture.<ref>Passmore, Augustine C. "Twenty Styles of Architecture". ''Handbook of Technical Terms Used in Architecture and Building and Their Allied Trades and Subjects''. London: Scott, Greenwood, and Co., 1904. 360. Print.</ref>

The opposite or inverted form of a gable roof is a [[butterfly roof|V-roof or butterfly roof]].

{{Anchor|front-gabled|side-gabled}}{{Anchor|gable-fronted}}