pediment

P3E1D2I1M3E1N1T1
UK/ˈpɛd.ɪ.mənt/

noun

A classical architectural element consisting of a triangular section or gable found above the horizontal superstructure (entablature) which lies immediately upon the columns; fronton.

UncommonScrabble 13
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Meanings

nounpediment (plural pediments)

plural pediments

  1. architectureA classical architectural element consisting of a triangular section or gable found above the horizontal superstructure (entablature) which lies immediately upon the columns; fronton.
    1 more example

    Passing the Congregation Shearith Israel on Central Park West (a white whale of a building with a triangular pediment supported by four count ’em four massive Corinthian columns), Professor Solanka scurrying through the downpour remembered the newly bat-mitzvahed thirteen-year-old girl he’d glimpsed through the side door, […]

    2001, Salman Rushdie, Fury: A Novel, London: Jonathan Cape, →ISBN, page 5
  2. geographyA very gently sloping (0.5°-7°) inclined bedrock surface.

Origin

From the earlier form peremint, perhaps a dialectal alteration of pyramid, under the influence of -ment.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἀέτωμα
  • ἀέτωμα (aétōma)architectural element
Bulgarian фронтон
  • фронтон (fronton)architectural element
Catalan frontó
  • frontóarchitectural element
Czech štít
  • štítarchitectural element
Dutch fronton
  • frontonarchitectural element
Estonian frontoon
  • frontoonarchitectural element
Finnish päätykolmio, frontoni
  • päätykolmioarchitectural element
  • frontoniarchitectural element
French fronton
  • frontonarchitectural element
German Giebeldreieck, Giebelfeld
  • Giebeldreieckarchitectural element
  • Giebelfeldarchitectural element
  • Frontispizarchitectural element
  • Bekrönungarchitectural element
  • Frontonarchitectural element
  • Frontspießarchitectural element
  • Ziergiebelarchitectural element
  • Giebelarchitectural element
  • Pedimentflächearchitectural element
Greek αέτωμα
  • αέτωμα (aétoma)architectural element
Icelandic bjór, gaflbrík
  • bjórarchitectural element
  • gaflbríkarchitectural element
  • gaflhlaðarchitectural element
Italian frontone
  • frontonearchitectural element
Latin fastīgium
  • fastīgiumarchitectural element
Polish fronton, przyczółek
  • frontonarchitectural element
  • przyczółekarchitectural element
Portuguese frontão
  • frontãoarchitectural element
Russian фронто́н
  • фронто́н (frontón)architectural element
Spanish frontón
  • frontónarchitectural element
Swedish fronton
  • frontonarchitectural element
Turkish alınlık
  • alınlıkarchitectural element

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with pediment

sediment
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

pediment. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pediment

MLA

“pediment.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pediment. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pediment,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pediment.

Source: pediment on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.