Dentil

Dentil is a term in architecture that refers to a small rectangular block that forms part of a dentil molding, a decorative, toothlike pattern used on cornices and friezes. A dentil molding consists of a regular series of these projections, spaced evenly along a horizontal band, giving the appearance of a row of teeth.

The word is derived from the Latin dens, dent- meaning tooth, with a diminutive suffix indicating a smaller form. The pattern was revived and popularized during Renaissance architecture and remained common in Baroque, Neoclassical, and related stylistic revivals, continuing to appear in many historic and contemporary buildings.

In design terms, individual dentils project from a bed mold and are separated by gaps that help create the rhythmic, linear effect of the course. Dentil blocks are primarily decorative, serving to articulate the top of a cornice or the edge of an entablature rather than bearing significant structural load. Their size, spacing, and overall scale are typically chosen to harmonize with the architectural order and the surrounding ornament.

Dentil patterns are sometimes extended into dentellated or more elaborate profiles, but the essential form remains a series of small, toothlike blocks. The term is most often encountered in the study of classical and revival architecture and is used to describe both the individual blocks and the broader ornamental motif.

See also: dentil molding, cornice, entablature, dentate, dentellation.