acroterium

[ak-ruh-teer-ee-uhm]

noun

Architecture.

plural

acroteria 

1. a pedestal for a sculpture or ornament at each base or at the apex of a pediment.

Other Word Forms

• acroteral adjective
• acroterial adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of acroterium¹

Latinization of acroterion

Example Sentences

The house had grown a story higher; and the tiled roof, now surmounted by a bronze acroterium, projected an intact outline against the light blue of the sky, where a few stars were growing pale.

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Pertaining to an acroterium; as, ornaments.

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The pediment and acroterium were adorned with statues—scarcely, however, to be distinguished at that distance.

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An ever present feature, also, is the palmette acroterium, treated in conventional ceramic style.

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Fortunately a notable example has been preserved in the acroterium of the gable of the Heraion at Olympia, 51 a great disk of clay over seven feet in diameter.

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