English▸ noun [in singular] an area of wooden paneling on the lower part of the walls of a room.
▪ British historical imported oak of fine quality, used mainly to make paneling.
▸ verb
(wainscots, wainscoting, wainscoted or wainscots, wainscotting, wainscotted)
[with object] line (a room or wall) with wooden paneling: the interior was to be wainscotted to a height of 4 feet
(as adjective wainscotted) round the wainscotted walls ran narrow benches.
– ORIGIN Middle English : from Middle Low German wagenschot, apparently from wagen ‘wagon’ + schot, probably meaning ‘partition’. wainscot (SENSE 2 OF THE noun) dates from the early 19th century.