caryatid

[ kar-ee-at-id ]
/ ˌkær iˈæt ɪd /

noun, plural car·y·at·ids, car·y·at·i·des [kar-ee-at-i-deez] /ˌkær iˈæt ɪˌdiz/. Architecture.

a sculptured female figure used as a column. Compare atlas(def 5).

Origin of caryatid

1555–65; < Latin Caryātides (singular Caryātis) < Greek Karyā́tides columns shaped like women, literally, women of Karýai, Laconia

OTHER WORDS FROM caryatid

car·y·at·i·dal, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for caryatid

British Dictionary definitions for caryatid

caryatid
/ (ˌkærɪˈætɪd) /

noun plural -ids or -ides (-ɪˌdiːz)

a column, used to support an entablature, in the form of a draped female figure Compare telamon

Derived forms of caryatid

caryatidal, caryatidean, caryatic or caryatidic (ˌkærɪəˈtɪdɪk), adjective

Word Origin for caryatid

C16: from Latin Caryātides, from Greek Karuatides priestesses of Artemis at Karuai (Caryae), village in Laconia