caryatid

UK: /ˌkærɪˈætɪd/ US: (kar′ē at′id)

Inflections of 'caryatid' (n):

caryatids

npl

caryatides

npl

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

car•y•at•id  (kar′ē at′id), n., pl. -ids, -i•des (-i dēz′). [Archit.]

1. Architecture a sculptured female figure used as a column. Cf. atlas (def. 5).

• Greek Karyá̄tides columns shaped like women, literally, women of Karýai, Laconia
• Latin Caryātides (singular Caryātis)
• 1555–65

car′y•at′i•dal, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

caryatid / ˌkærɪˈætɪd/ noun ( -ids, -ides / -ɪˌdiːz/)

1. a column, used to support an entablature, in the form of a draped female figure
   Compare telamon

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin Caryātides, from Greek Karuatides priestesses of Artemis at Karuai (Caryae), village in Laconia