In the context of construction, a "king stud" refers to a vertical framing member in a wall that is positioned on either side of a door or window opening, and runs continuously from the bottom plate to the top plate of the wall. The king stud is typically larger than the other vertical framing members (known as "jack studs") that flank the opening, and provides additional support for the header that spans the top of the opening. The term "king" comes from the fact that it is the primary or most important framing member in this context.
