contemporarycaryatids FromMiddle French cariatide Latin caryatides Ancient Greek Καρυάτιδες ( Karuátides ) , plural ofΚαρυᾶτις ( Karuâtis ,“ a priestess of Artemis, female figures used as bearing-shafts ” ) , fromκαρυατίζω ( karuatízō ,“ dance the Karyatid festival dance ” ) fromΚαρύαι ( Karúai ,“ a town in Laconia with a temple of Artemis and a festival ” ) .
IPA (key ) : /ˌkɛəɹiˈætɪd/ ,/ˌkæɹiˈætɪd/ caryatid (plural caryatids or caryatides
A sculpted female figure serving as anarchitectural support taking the place of a column or a pillar supporting anentablature on her head.1901 Henry James ,Flickerbridge :She wore on the top of her head an upright circular cap that made her resemble acaryatid disburdened, and on other parts of her person strange combinations of colours, stuffs, shapes, of metal, mineral and plant.
a sculpted female figure serving as an architectural element
