Caryatid
/ˌkær.iˈæt.ɪd/noun
A sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support, especially in place of a column.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek Karyatides, originally meaning women of Karyai, a town in Laconia; later writers linked them to Artemis worship and ritual dance, giving the term a faintly sacred, ceremonial aura.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
Karyatís / Karyatídes
“a woman of Karyai; later, a female figure used as an architectural support”
Late Latin
Lat
caryatides
“caryatids; sculpted female supports”
16th Century
English
caryatide
“a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support”
Modern English
English
caryatid
“a carved female figure used as a column or support in architecture”