Corniced Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

Architecture

• Cornices are often made of materials like wood, plaster, or stone and can add elegance to a building.
• Different architectural styles, such as Baroque and Neoclassical, feature unique cornice designs, making them historically significant.
• In ancient Rome, cornices were often intricately designed, showcasing the skill and artistry of builders.

Art and Aesthetics

• In artistic terms, cornices can help frame a piece of art or sculpture, drawing the eye to important details.
• They are utilized in interior design to enhance ceiling heights and add a touch of sophistication.
• Many famous painters, like Leonardo da Vinci, included tiled cornices in their works, illustrating the detail of architecture.

Literature

• Cornices often appear in literary descriptions of grand buildings, symbolizing opulence and wealth.
• Writers use detailed imagery of cornices to convey the grandeur of settings, influencing the reader’s imagination.
• Poets may refer to cornices to evoke themes of beauty and decay in poetry, highlighting contrasts in human experience.

Fashion

• The term 'corniced' is sometimes used in fashion to describe garments with ornate, layered trims that resemble architectural cornices.
• Vintage fashion often incorporates cornice-like elements, showcasing how architectural influences extend beyond buildings.
• Designers may draw inspiration from building cornices to create unique textile patterns or embellishments.

Cultural Significance

• In many cultures, cornices reflect the aesthetic values and craftsmanship of the time when a building was constructed.
• The presence of cornices can signify the importance of a building, often separating common structures from places of worship or governance.
• Cornices in monumental architecture can connect a community to its history, representing collective memory and pride.

The term 'corniced' derives from the word 'cornice', which itself comes from the Italian word 'cornice', meaning 'a ledge' or 'shelf'. The etymology traces further back to the Latin word 'cornix', which means 'raven', likely due to the shape of the cornice resembling the beak of a bird. Cornices have been prominent in classical architecture, with their roots in ancient Greek and Roman designs used to offer aesthetic and structural benefits to buildings. The usage of 'corniced' in English dates back to the 16th century and has evolved to describe not just architectural features but also elements in decorative arts.