gargoyle









gargoyle


noun

  1. a grotesquely carved figure of a human or animal.
  2. a spout, terminating in a grotesque representation of a human or animal figure with open mouth, projecting from the gutter of a building for throwing rain water clear of a building.

noun

  1. a waterspout carved in the form of a grotesque face or creature and projecting from a roof gutter, esp of a Gothic church
  2. any grotesque ornament or projection, esp on a building
  3. a person with a grotesque appearance
n.

“grotesque carved waterspout,” late 13c., gargurl, from Old French gargole “throat, waterspout” (see gargle).

A sculpture depicting grotesque human shapes or evil spirits used in many buildings of the Middle Ages, most notably on Gothic cathedrals (see also cathedral). Some gargoyles drained rainwater, sending it clear of the walls of the building.

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