🇩🇪German Source WordCode: DE

Wasserspeier

Pronunciation / Transliteration: /ˈvasɐˌʃpaɪ̯ɐ/

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Gargoyle/ˈɡɑːr.ɡɔɪl/
nounCEFR C1 (Advanced)Top #14500 frequency
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🇩🇪 Example Sentence in German:

"Der gotische Dom ist berühmt für seine steinernen Wasserspeier."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As noun
  1. 1

    A carved or formed grotesque human or animal figure projecting from the gutter or canopy of a building, designed to act as a spout to throw rainwater clear of the walls.

    "Rain poured steadily from the open stone mouth of the gargoyle high above the cathedral entrance."
  2. 2

    A grotesquely carved figure or face, often incorporated into architectural ornamentation regardless of whether it functions as a water spout.

    "The ancient fortress was adorned with dozens of menacing gargoyles guarding the parapets."

Thesaurus & Semantic Spectrum

Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

Derived from the Old French word gargouille, meaning throat or gullet, which is echoic of the gurgling sound of water. Historically used in medieval architecture, it specifically refers to a carved stone spout projecting from a roof or canopy designed to convey rainwater away from a building's walls.

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