dentil
[den-tl, -til]
- any of a series of closely spaced, small, rectangular blocks, used especially in classical architecture beneath the coronas of Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite cornices.
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Origin of dentil
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for dentil
Historical Examples
The first and third courses are stretchers and the middle course is composed of headers laid to form a dentil course.
HuntleyTony P. Wrenn
In the later temples of Ionia, as in the temple of Priene, the larger scale of the dentil is still retained.
As a general rule the projection of the dentil is equal to its width, and the intervals between to half the width.
The Venetian dentil was also introduced as a label round arches and as a string course.
The dentil was the chief decorative feature employed in the bed-mould by the Romans and the Italian Revivalists.
dentil
- one of a set of small square or rectangular blocks evenly spaced to form an ornamental row, usually under a classical cornice on a building, piece of furniture, etc
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Word Origin
C17: from French, from obsolete dentille a little tooth, from dent tooth
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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