A canopy is an overhead

roof A roof ( : roofs or rooves) is the top covering of a building, including all materials and constructions necessary to support it on the walls of the building or on uprights, providing protection against rain, snow, sunlight, extremes of t ...

or else a structure over which a fabric or metal covering is attached, able to provide shade or shelter from weather conditions such as sun, hail, snow and rain. A canopy can also be a

tent A tent () is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over, attached to a frame of poles or a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using ...

, generally without a

floor A floor is the bottom surface of a room or vehicle. Floors vary from simple dirt in a cave to many layered surfaces made with modern technology. Floors may be stone, wood, bamboo, metal or any other material that can support the expected load ...

. The word comes from the

ancient Greek Ancient Greek includes the forms of the Greek language used in ancient Greece and the ancient world from around 1500 BC to 300 BC. It is often roughly divided into the following periods: Mycenaean Greek (), Dark Ages (), the Archaic pe ...

''κωνώπειον'' (''konópeion'', "cover to keep insects off"), from ''κώνωψ'' (''kónops'', "cone-face"), which is a bahuvrihi compound meaning "

mosquito Mosquitoes (or mosquitos) are members of a group of almost 3,600 species of small flies within the family Culicidae (from the Latin ''culex'' meaning " gnat"). The word "mosquito" (formed by ''mosca'' and diminutive ''-ito'') is Spanish for "li ...

". The first 'o' changing into 'a' may be due to influence from the place name

Canopus, Egypt Canopus (, ; grc-gre, Κάνωπος, ), also known as Canobus ( grc-gre, Κάνωβος, ), was an ancient Egyptian coastal town, located in the Nile Delta. Its site is in the eastern outskirts of modern-day Alexandria, around from the cent ...

thought of as a place of luxuries. Architectural canopies include projections giving protection from the weather, or merely decoration. Such canopies are supported by the building to which they are attached and often also by a ground mounting provided by not less than two

stanchion A stanchion () is a sturdy upright fixture that provides support for some other object. It can be a permanent fixture. Types In architecture stanchions are the upright iron bars in windows that pass through the eyes of the saddle bars or horizo ...

s, or upright support posts. Canopies can also stand alone, such as a fabric covered

gazebo A gazebo is a pavilion structure, sometimes octagonal or turret-shaped, often built in a park, garden or spacious public area. Some are used on occasions as bandstands. Etymology The etymology given by Oxford Dictionaries is "Mid 18th c ...

or cabana. Fabric canopies can meet various design needs. Many modern fabrics are long-lasting, bright, easily cleaned, strong and flame-retardant. This material can be vinyl, acrylic, polyester or canvas.Awning Fabrics Comparison: What's Right For You?
Herculite, Retrieved July 14, 2016. Modern frame materials offer high strength-to-weight ratios and corrosion resistance. The proper combination of these properties can result in safe, strong, economical and attractive products.

Classification numbers

Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) Division 10 MasterFormat 2004 Edition: * 10 73 16 - Canopies * 10 73 00 - Protective Covers CSI MasterFormat 1995 Edition: * 10530 - Canopies

References

{{Commons category, Canopies Roofs

Classification numbers

See also

References