ENTASIS


Meaning of ENTASIS in English

n.

Convex curve given to a column, spire, or similar upright member to avoid the optical illusion of hollowness or weakness that would arise from normal tapering.

Exaggerated in Greek work of the Doric order , it grew more and more subtle in the 5th–4th century BC. Entasis is also occasionally found in Gothic spires and in smaller Romanesque columns.

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia.      Краткая энциклопедия Британика.