Buttresslike

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Having qualities or form similar to a supporting structure built against a wall for reinforcement
2. Appearing like or acting as a projecting support designed to strengthen or stabilize a building
3. Showing the shape or function of an architectural element that provides additional support to walls

Etymology: "Buttresslike" is a simple compound: the noun "buttress" with the suffix "-like" attached, meaning "resembling or having the character of" the thing named. The base noun "buttress" has its own history: it came into English from Old French "bouterez" (later "bouterez" shifting to "boterez"), a word tied to the idea of pushing or thrusting against something, which is the physical logic of a buttress holding up a wall from outside. The suffix "-like" is the older and more productive half of the pair. It comes from Old English "gelic," meaning "having the same body or form," and it was a standard way for English speakers to build adjectives from nouns. Attaching it to "buttress" produces a word that describes anything shaped or functioning like that external prop, whether a rock formation, a tree trunk, or a structure of hoisted timber.

Synonyms: supportive, reinforcing