Mutules

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of architectural element resembling a prominent rectangular block that typically projects from the frieze in classical buildings
2. A decorative feature found in classical architecture, characterized by its flat, block-like shape extending from the structure's surface
3. An ornamental form used on the undersides of roof eaves in classical styles, often serving both a structural and aesthetic purpose

Etymology: Mutules are the flat, rectangular blocks projecting from the underside of a Doric cornice, typically arranged in rows above each triglyph and studded with guttae, the small peg-like cones that hang beneath them. The English word is the plural of "mutule," which was borrowed directly from Latin "mutulus," the term Roman writers used for these same blocks. Its exact meaning in Latin is not something the source records, so the word's story in English rests on that Latin borrowing and on its role as a technical term of classical architecture.