plinth
noun
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Plinth and Architecture
"These ivy-clad arcades — / These mouldering plinths ... are they all — / All of the famed, and the colossal left…?" In these lines from "The Coliseum," Edgar Allan Poe alludes to a practical feature of classical architecture. The plinth serves the important purpose of raising the base of the column it supports above the ground, thus protecting it from dampness and mold. The humble plinth is usually a mere thick block. It's humbly named, too, for the Greek word plinthos means simply "tile" or "brick." English writers have used plinth, a shortened version of the Latin form plinthus, since the mid-16th century. The word's meaning was later extended to bases for statues, vases, or busts.
Examples of plinth in a Sentence
Adam Van Brimmer,
AJC.com,
30 June 2026
The three princesses Atzimba, Eréndira and Tzetzangari The sculpture is not large — measuring 7 feet wide and standing 6 feet, 6 inches tall without a plinth — but its history is.
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Eric Adler
june 24,
Kansas City Star,
24 June 2026
The maison’s jewelry is displayed atop custom stone plinths, spotlighting the exquisite craftsmanship of each creation.
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Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
22 June 2026
The main threat is vibrations, but with the help of vibration expert Kerstin Kracht, those have been reduced by 96 percent, says the report, to the same level a sculpture experiences on a plinth in a museum as visitors walk by.
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Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
4 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for plinth
Cite this Entry
“Plinth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/plinth. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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plinth
noun
