— caryatidal , adj.
/kar'ee at"id/ , n. , pl. caryatids, caryatides /-i deez'/ . Archit.
a sculptured female figure used as a column. Cf. atlas (def. 5).
[ 1555-65; Caryatides (sing. Caryatis ) Karyátides columns shaped like women, lit., women of Karýai, Laconia ]