plinth
noun
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Plinth and Architecture
"These ivy-clad arcades — / These mouldering plinths ... are they all — / All of the famed, and the colossal left…?" In these lines from "The Coliseum," Edgar Allan Poe alludes to a practical feature of classical architecture. The plinth serves the important purpose of raising the base of the column it supports above the ground, thus protecting it from dampness and mold. The humble plinth is usually a mere thick block. It's humbly named, too, for the Greek word plinthos means simply "tile" or "brick." English writers have used plinth, a shortened version of the Latin form plinthus, since the mid-16th century. The word's meaning was later extended to bases for statues, vases, or busts.
Examples of plinth in a Sentence
New Atlas, 2 Nov. 2024
The billboards, which featured photographs of empty plinths and probing phrases, urged viewers to reconsider the purpose and impact of monuments.
—Okla Jones, Essence, 30 Oct. 2024
Ready-to-wear and accessories are displayed on handmade Douglas fir totems and plinths, and a bespoke rug, handmade in Morroco and in a custom Ulla Johnson print.
—Lisa Lockwood, WWD, 23 Oct. 2024
In a private preview before the show’s November 2nd opening, Tines will sing while standing on the living-room plinth, accompanied by his grandparents, who raised him and fostered his love of music.
—Henry Alford, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Plinth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plinth. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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plinth
noun
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