Pilasters

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Architectural features that project from walls to mimic columns and provide support, enhancing structural integrity and visual appeal
2. Vertical support elements that are set against walls, exhibiting the appearance of columns while serving decorative and load-bearing functions
3. Flat, rectangular pillars integrated into walls that resemble classical columns and add both strength and ornamentation

Etymology: "Pilasters" is the plural of "pilaster", a flat, column-like projection built into a wall, usually with a base and capital but not freestanding. The singular came into English from Middle French "pilastre", which was itself borrowed from Italian "pilastro", a derivative of "pilaster" and "pillar" in the Italian tradition of architectural terms. The English word "pillar" is the element at the heart of this one. The ending "-aster" in the Italian form is a suffix that often marks something partial or resembling the base word, so a pilaster is, in effect, a half-pillar: it has the shape and ornament of a column but is set into the wall rather than standing free of it. That architectural logic is what the word still conveys, since the form exists to suggest support while the wall does the actual work.

Synonyms: columns, supports, posts, pillars, struts