Colonnade
/ˌkɒl.əˈneɪd/noun
A row of columns supporting a roof, arch, or entablature.
Did you know?Colonnade comes through French from Italian, ultimately from Latin *columna* “column,” a word tied to the ancient idea of a standing pillar—so the whole term literally means a structured row of pillars.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
columna
“a pillar or supporting post”
Late Latin
Latin
columnata
“a colonnade or row of columns”
Italian
Italian
colonnata
“a colonnade; an arrangement of columns”
17th Century
French
colonnade
“a row of columns supporting an arcade or roof”
17th Century
English
colonnade
“a row of columns, especially one forming a covered passage”
Explore more surprising origins