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caryatid

caryatid

9.9
A person who gives steady practical and emotional help to others
  • noun
  • /ˌkɛrɪˈætɪd/
translation icon : pilar
  • The caryatid supports her friends.

Examples

  • She is a true caryatid!

  • At the awards ceremony, colleagues thanked him as a caryatid for holding the fragile project together.

  • During the emergency, Maria became the team's caryatid, quietly organising help and keeping everyone calm.

  • Artists described the elderly nurse as a caryatid who had supported generations of patients without complaint.

  • As the leader of the community, she has become a caryatid, always supporting those in need during difficult times.

  • In times of crisis, he acted as a caryatid, shouldering the emotional burdens of his friends and family.

  • Teachers often serve as caryatids, providing steady support and guidance to students throughout their education.

Synonyms

comforter
vscaryatid
5 3.4

A person who helps someone feel less sad or worried

provides long term practical and emotional burden bearing for groups
helpmate
vscaryatid
  • Archaic
3 7.0

A person who helps and supports their partner in life

supports a wider group by bearing emotional and practical burdens
pillar of strength
vscaryatid
  • Informal
2 4.1

A person who gives strong, steady support to others in hard times

is steady support that also bears practical burdens for a group
consoler
vscaryatid
1 4.0

A person who makes someone feel less sad

takes steady responsibility for others' needs beyond simple comforting
succorer
vscaryatid
9.8

A person who helps others in trouble

offers continuous support that carries others' ongoing burdens

How Supportive

pillar
21 4.5
caryatid
9.9
supporter
817 1.0
helper
79 1.0

Surface Forms

caryatid singular
caryatids plural

Etymology

Caryatid comes from those carved women who 'supported' temples, and by picture the word now means a person who gives steady support to others. A helpful way to remember caryatid is to think of the English word 'carry', because a caryatid 'carries' weight for a building or a group.