Karyatides
/ˌkær.iˈæt.ɪ.diːz/noun
Plural of caryatid: a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support, like a column.
Did you know?The name comes from Karyai in Laconia, and ancient writers connected the maidens of that place with Artemis, so every caryatid carries a faint echo of sacred procession and ritual.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
GRK
Καρυάτιδες
“women of Karyai; later, sculpted female figures used as supports”
Classical Greek
GRK
Καρυᾶτις
“a woman of Karyai, a town in Laconia”
Latin
LAT
caryatides
“caryatids; architectural female supports”
Renaissance Latin / French
LAT/FR
caryatide
“a sculpted female figure used as an architectural support”
Modern English
ENG
caryatid
“a carved female figure serving as an architectural support”