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Glite Dictionary
cavetto

cavetto

9.9
A curved inward strip used as decoration on a building
  • noun
  • /kəˈvɛtoʊ/
  • Specialized
: caveto
  • The cornice featured a pronounced cavetto just below the roofline.

Examples

  • In classical architecture, a cavetto molding often decorates the tops of columns.

  • Restorers carefully replicated the damaged cavetto to match the building's original style.

  • The architect chose a beautiful cavetto for the ceiling design.

  • Many classical buildings feature cavetti in their cornices.

  • In classical architecture, a cavetto molding often decorates the tops of columns.

  • Restorers carefully replicated the damaged cavetto to match the building's original style.

  • The cornice featured a pronounced cavetto just below the roofline.

Surface Forms

cavetto singular
cavetti plural

Etymology

The word cavetto comes from Italian cavo and Latin cavus, both meaning 'hollow'. Imagine a small 'cave' or 'cavity' in the edge of a wall: a cavetto is that little hollow curve in a molding, so the name fits the quarter-circle inward shape.