IPA: /ləˈtɪlə/
KK: /lətɪlə/
A type of stick or limb that is often stripped of its bark and used as a material for ceilings, especially in construction between beams.
The builders used latillas to create a rustic ceiling in the adobe house.
The word 'latilla' originates from Spanish, meaning a small piece of wood or a thin strip of wood used in construction or as a lath. It is derived from 'lata' (meaning wide or broad) and the diminutive suffix '-illa', which indicates smallness. Thus, 'latilla' refers to a small, thin strip of wood.
Think of a 'broad' ('lata') piece of wood that is made 'small' ('-illa') — that's why 'latilla' means a small strip of wood.