Crossword clues for caryatid
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Caryatic \Car`y*at"ic\, Caryatid \Car`y*at"id\, a. Of or pertaining to a caryatid.
Caryatid \Car`y*at"id\, n.; pl. Caryatids. [See Caryatides.] (Arch.) A draped female figure supporting an entablature, in the place of a column or pilaster. [1913 Webster] ||
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
"carved female figure used as a column," 1560s, from Middle French cariatide, from Latin caryatides, from Greek Karyatides (singular Karyatis) "priestesses of Artemis at Caryae" (Greek Karyai), a town in Laconia where dance festivals were held in Artemis' temple. Male figures in a like situation are Atlantes, plural of Atlas.
Wiktionary
n. A sculpted female figure serving as an architectural element, used as a support for entablature.
WordNet
n. a supporting column carved in the shape of a person
[also: carides (pl)]
Wikipedia
A caryatid (; , plural: Καρυάτιδες) is a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head. The Greek term karyatides literally means "maidens of Karyai", an ancient town of Peloponnese. Karyai had a famous temple dedicated to the goddess Artemis in her aspect of Artemis Karyatis: "As Karyatis she rejoiced in the dances of the nut-tree village of Karyai, those Karyatides, who in their ecstatic round-dance carried on their heads baskets of live reeds, as if they were dancing plants".
Usage examples of "caryatid".
A few more jokes: a bedraggled caryatid, an Egyptian tomb, a Greek temple that had been changed by some Circean wand into a butcher shop.
No, I have no quatrefoils, rosettes, gussets, gargoyles or Mexican drawnwork on my house, not even a caryatid.
Bacab, who in the Yucatecan mythology were supposed to stand one at each corner of the world, supporting, like gigantic caryatides, the overhanging firmament.
They corresponded to the four gods Bacab, who in the Yucatecan mythology were supposed to stand one at each corner of the world, supporting, like gigantic caryatides, the overhanging firmament.
Caryatid, he patient sits, upholding on his frozen brow the piled entablatures of ages.
Adding, she went with her husband to revere a certain magnificent blackamoor whom be had discovered at the entrance of one of the aristocratic hotels on the Schlossberg, where he performed the function of a kind of caryatid, and looked, in the black of his skin and the white of his flowing costume, like a colossal figure carved in ebony and ivory.
She was the only girl that Rosie could remember who had made a bikini look as if it had been designed for a Caryatid solemnly gazing over the Acropolis, one thigh forward ready to march in sacred procession to Athenes, high altar.
Whenever the third caryatid comes to life and walks from beneath its burden, the capitals of Europe will be filled with the broken furniture of palaces.
But while his son was in this state, Sir Austin considered that he would hardly be brought to see the virtues of the act, and did not make the requisition of him, and heavy Benson remained drawn up solemnly expectant at doorways, and at the foot of the staircase, a Saurian Caryatid, wherever he could get a step in advance of the young man, while Richard heedlessly passed him, as he passed everybody else, his head bent to the ground, and his legs bearing him like random instruments of whose service he was unconscious.
Sometimes it may be called a caryatid, which is, as I understand it, a cruel device of architecture, representing a man or a woman, obliged to hold up upon his or her head or shoulders a structure which they did not build, and which could stand just as well without as with them.
As they stepped out into the darkness, a sheet of rain was driven in upon their faces, and the hall lamp, which dangled from the arm of a marble Caryatid, went out with a fluff.
But the smoke-gray eyes still had the pure intent gaze of the Caryatid, seemingly blank, aware of everything.
Additional sconces were set in various parts of the hall, out of the war, and a flambeau, emitting sweet odor, was placed in the right hand of each of the Caryatides that stood against the wall some fifty or sixty altogether.
As usual, he gave his attention to the bedpost caryatides before turning to Erik.
The caryatids which had for an age shouldered their burden uncomplainingly on either side of the door had fallen.