Caryatid

//ˌkɛəɹiˈætɪd// noun

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A sculpted female figure serving as an architectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting an entablature on her head.

    "She wore on the top of her head an upright circular cap that made her resemble a caryatid disburdened, and on other parts of her person strange combinations of colours, stuffs, shapes, of metal, mineral and plant."

  2. 2
    a supporting column carved in the shape of a person wordnet

Etymology

From Middle French cariatide, from Latin caryatides, from Ancient Greek Καρυάτιδες (Karuátides), plural of Καρυᾶτις (Karuâtis, “a priestess of Artemis, female figures used as bearing-shafts”), from καρυατίζω (karuatízō, “dance the Karyatid festival dance”) from Καρύαι (Karúai, “a town in Laconia with a temple of Artemis and a festival”).

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: caryatid