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telamon

telamon

1 9.9
A carved man used as a column to support part of a building
  • noun
  • /ˈtɛləmən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : telamón
  • The museum displayed a stunning telamon, carved from stone to serve as a decorative pillar.

Examples

  • Telamon.

  • Several cases were taken from the Telamon-Culyer Collection at the University of Georgia, Athens, and from the Georgia Gazette, Savannah.

    Academic text (2009)
  • Therin Telamon wanders through the wreckage of his palace, not seeing the corpses of his wife and children.

    Blog text (26)
  • The ancient Greek temple featured a majestic telamon supporting the architrave.

  • In classical architecture, a telamon often embodies the strength and form of a male figure.

Synonyms

term
vstelamon
  • Archaic
5 9.9

A carved statue or bust on top of a pillar that marks a boundary

is a full supporting figure forming a column rather than a small top carving
atlas
vstelamon
  • Specialized
9.9

A carved man used like a column to support part of a building

is a general architectural term not limited to classical style

Surface Forms

telamon singular
telamons plural

Etymology

The word telamon comes from an old Greek word meaning 'support' or 'bearer'. Picture a carved man used as a column to 'hold up' a building, like the myth figure Atlas, and that's why a telamon is a male figure used as a supporting pillar.