pediment

play

noun ped·i·ment \ ˈpe-də-mənt \

Definition of pediment

1 :a triangular space that forms the gable of a low-pitched roof and that is usually filled with relief sculpture in classical architecture; also :a similar form used as a decoration

2 :a broad gently sloping bedrock surface with low relief that is situated at the base of a steeper slope and is usually thinly covered with alluvial gravel and sand

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pedimental

play \ˌpe-də-ˈmen-tᵊl\ adjective

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pedimented

play \ˈpe-də-ˌmen-təd\ adjective

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Recent Examples of pediment from the Web

And the palace’s impressively detailed white pediments and pinnacles chimed in with the intricate nuances of the bride’s dress.

— Vogue, "Sophia Kah Designer Ana Teixeira de Sousa Marries at a Portuguese Palace," 14 Aug. 2017
Symbols of liberation and lost causes are everywhere, telling rival stories, like the Greek Revival plantation houses, with their white columns and pediments out front, and their former slave cabins calling quietly from the back.

— the washington post, AL.com, "A police car damaged an Alabama Confederate monument and reopened a town's painful wounds," 20 July 2017
Instead, a curving glass sail crowns the building like a 21st century pediment, hiding the elevator and window-washing equipment.

— christopher hawthorne, latimes.com, "Wilshire Grand Center, the new tallest building in L.A. and a schmoozer in the skyline," 24 June 2017
Like Thomas Jefferson's Virginia plantation, the miniature version in Italy has a portico with a pediment roof and is fronted by Doric columns.

— mary carole mccauley, baltimoresun.com, "Race relations take the world stage in BMA’s Venice Biennale exhibit," 13 May 2017
The pediments above the inner doors here include some of the most accomplished carving from the Angkor period.

— antonia neubauer, Town & Country, "How to Plan a Trip to Asia," 5 Oct. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pediment.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.