Entablement

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

  1. a horizontal structural member or decorated band that sits atop columns or supports in architecture | a system of ornamental molding and framing elements in classical building design
  2. the upper section of a classical wall structure consisting of frieze, architrave, and cornice that crowns supporting columns | architectural ornamentation
  3. an ornamental framework or series of moldings positioned above vertical supports in classical architecture | the upper decorated components of a wall supported by pillars

Etymology: An entablement is an architectural term referring to the superstructure of moldings and ornaments that rests upon the capitals of columns. The word emerged in English during the 17th century, borrowed directly from French "entablement," which itself derives from the verb "entabler," meaning to put upon a table or platform. The French verb combines the prefix "en-" (meaning "to put into" or "to cause to be") with "table," from Latin "tabula" meaning a board, plank, or flat surface. The semantic shift from the literal sense of placing something on a table to the architectural meaning reflects how the term was applied to the horizontal structural elements that appear to "rest upon" or "sit atop" the vertical columns in classical orders. In architectural terminology, the entablement comprises three main divisions—the architrave (the lowest part directly above the columns), the frieze (the middle section), and the cornice (the projecting upper molding)—all of which form a unified horizontal band that crowns the columniation. The Latin root "tabula" itself has a deep history in European languages, giving rise not only to "entablement" but also to words like "table," "tablet," and "tableau." The architectural application of this term became standardized during the Renaissance revival of classical orders, when architects and theorists systematized the vocabulary of Greco-Roman building practice. English adopted "entablement" as part of the broader influx of architectural terminology that accompanied the study and emulation of classical design in early modern Europe.

Synonyms: cornice, frieze