Acanthus
1
9.9
- noun
- /əˈkænθəs/
- Specialized
:
Acanthus
- Here in the cool of a summer afternoon, I rode the tough little donkeys through glades of acanthus, under old cedar trees, to a water clock which kept time on a cascade of fern-covered rocks.
- acanthus leaves
- carved with acanthus
Examples
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The whole was raised on circular legs with acanthus-leaf ormolu joined by a voluted X stretcher centered with an ormolu urn finial, on toupie feet.
Fiction book (1992) -
The parts with the acanthus decoration actually extend slightly above and below the edges of the central section, giving the panel the shape of an uppercase letter I turned on its side.
Academic text (2012) -
It's an 18th-century Italian silk damask... ...with an embossed floriated pattern of undulating acanthus leaves.
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It was tall, high on a pedestal, with Corinthian columns ornamented with acanthus leaves and a frieze of fruits and heads of bulls or lions.
Fiction book (1998) -
Although the vertical continuity of the winding vines hides the fact, the panels with the Eugenius scenes span the entire width of each door and include the acanthus tendrils on either side.
Academic text (2012) -
In the garden, the tall spikes of acanthus blooms attract many bees during the summer.
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The ancient Greeks often used acanthus leaves in their designs for sculptures and architecture.
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She admired the intricate carvings of acanthus leaves that adorned the columns of the old temple.
Compounds
- Specialized
A garden plant with large shiny leaves and tall white flowers with purple lines
- Specialized
A group of flowering plants with decorative leaves often grown in gardens
Surface Forms
Etymology
Acanthus comes from the old Greek word akanthos, which means 'thorn' or 'spine'. So the plant's sharp, spiny leaves and tall flower spikes gave it this name, and those bold leaves were often copied as carved decorations on ancient buildings, which helps you remember the word.