caryatid
English
editEtymology
editFrom Middle French cariatide, from Latin caryatides, from Ancient Greek Καρυάτιδες (Karuátides), plural of Καρυᾶτις (Karuâtis, “a priestess of Artemis, female figures used as bearing-shafts”), from καρυατίζω (karuatízō, “dance the Karyatid festival dance”) from Καρύαι (Karúai, “a town in Laconia with a temple of Artemis and a festival”).
Pronunciation
editNoun
editcaryatid (plural caryatids or caryatides)
- A sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head.
- 1901, Henry James, Flickerbridge:
- She wore on the top of her head an upright circular cap that made her resemble a caryatid disburdened, and on other parts of her person strange combinations of colours, stuffs, shapes, of metal, mineral and plant.
Coordinate terms
editDerived terms
editTranslations
edita sculpted female figure serving as an architectural element
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See also
editCategories:
- English terms derived from Middle French
- English terms derived from Latin
- English terms derived from Ancient Greek
- English 4-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English nouns with irregular plurals
- English terms with quotations
- en:Architectural elements
- en:Sculpture