pediment

UK/ˈpɛd.ɪ.mənt/

nounC2Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #15,132 of 15,258mostly written

Other forms: pediments

A pediment is the triangular piece above the columns of a classical front. A broken pediment, carved pediment, the pediment above the door.

It began as the gable end of a Greek roof and became purely decorative, appearing over doors and windows on buildings with no columns at all. A broken pediment has a gap in the middle, which is a baroque flourish.

Definitions of pediment

1nounpedimentThe triangular piece above the columns of a classical front.C2
“The museum's pediment is carved with gods and heroes above the tall columns.”

pediment is a feature.

Where it comes from

Perhaps an alteration of pyramid, influenced by the ending -ment.

From the earlier form peremint, perhaps a dialectal alteration of a doublet of pyramid, under the influence of -ment.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in Buildings & Architecture

Practise this word

pediment in the wild

Large pediments were rare on other types of building before Renaissance architecture.
Pediment
For symmetric designs, a pediment forms a center point and is often used to add grandness to entrances.
Pediment
The pronaos of a Greek and Roman temple is typically topped with a pediment.
Portico
If the top of the lunette itself is bordered by a hood mould it can also be considered a pediment.
Lunette
A pediment, also known as a concave slope or waning slope, is a very gently sloping inclined bedrock surface.
Pediment (geology)

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

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