pediment

American  

[ped-uh-muhnt] / ˈpɛd ə mənt /

noun

1. (in classical architecture) a low gable, typically triangular with a horizontal cornice and raking cornices, surmounting a colonnade, an end wall, or a major division of a façade.

2. any imitation of this, often fancifully treated, used to crown an opening, a monument, etc., or to form part of a decorative scheme.

3. Geology. a gently sloping rock surface at the foot of a steep slope, as of a mountain, usually thinly covered with alluvium.

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pediment British  

/ ˈpɛdɪmənt /

noun

1. a low-pitched gable, esp one that is triangular, as used in classical architecture

2. a gently sloping rock surface, formed through denudation under arid conditions

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pediment Scientific  

/ pĕd′ə-mənt /

1. A broad, gently sloping rock surface at the base of a steeper slope such as a mountain, often covered with alluvium. Pediments are formed through the exposure of bedrock by erosional processes, such as the flow of water. Pediments are usually found in arid regions where there is little vegetation to hold the overlying soil.

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Other Word Forms

• pedimental adjective
• pedimented adjective

Etymology

Origin of pediment

1655–65; earlier pedament, pedement, alteration, by association with Latin pēs (stem ped- ) foot, of earlier peremint, perhaps an unlearned alteration of pyramid; pediment ( def. 3 ) by construal as pedi- + -ment

Explanation

A pediment is a detail on a building or house — it's the triangular piece just under a pointed roof. Many classical Greek buildings have a pediment at the top, often above a row of columns. A classic pediment sits above the horizontal moulding (known as an entablature) above a window or door, which is usually supported by columns. This is true in many classical buildings, like the Greek Parthenon. You can see pediments even in relatively modern homes too, mainly in the form of a triangle or half-circle shape above a door or window. These pediments are decorative, while the originals were structural.

Example Sentences

Her casket will be carried up the steps in front of the court, passing under the iconic words engraved on the pediment, “Equal Justice Under Law,” and placed in the court’s Great Hall.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 17, 2023

Unfortunately for the cause of intelligent discourse, his statement was erected upon a pediment of lies.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2023

I was even more rankled that none of the replacement options were as deep as our original pediment.

From Washington Post • Sep. 12, 2021

But underneath the pediment and the pilasters was the original red, unpainted brick.

From Washington Post • Sep. 12, 2021

I went on up the steps, then stopped under the pediment, out of the rain, to watch the group make its way to the car.

From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan

Related Words

• basement
• bed
• floor
• ground
• seat
• underside