Dado

Dado is a term with multiple meanings in woodworking, gaming, and architecture, deriving from the Italian word meaning “slice” or “block.” In English-language usage it most commonly appears in two technical senses, with additional specialized uses in related trades.

In woodworking, a dado is a groove cut into a piece of wood to receive a corresponding piece, forming a joint. This method is widely used to fit shelves, dividers, and cabinet components. Dados can be through (extending across the full width of the workpiece), stopped or blind (ending before the edge), and their width is matched to the thickness of the mating piece. They can be created with a router, a table saw equipped with a dado blade, or hand tools. The dado joint increases gluing surface and horizontal alignment strength, making it a common choice in cabinetry and bookcases.

In gaming and linguistics, dado is the singular for dice in Spanish and Portuguese, with its plural dados. In English, the singular is die and the plural dice. The term appears in multilingual contexts and literature dealing with games and probability.

In architecture and interior design, dado refers to the lower portion of a wall, typically from the baseboard up to a decorative rail or molding (the dado rail). This region is often treated with a different finish or paneling for practical protection and visual distinction. The architectural use reflects the concept of a defined panel or segment within a space.