What does cyma mean?
In classical architecture, a cyma is a decorative moulding whose profile traces a double curve—one part concave, one part convex—giving it a distinctive S-shape. It takes two principal forms: the cyma recta, with the hollow of the curve facing upward, and the cyma reversa, with the convexity facing upward. The cyma typically appears near the top of an entablature or cornice, softening the transition between wall and roofline and catching light along its sinuous edge. The word derives from the Greek kyma, meaning 'wave', a fitting origin for a form whose undulating profile evokes moving water. Though largely confined to architectural vocabulary, the term remains current among historians, conservators, and craftspeople who restore historic buildings, where accurately identifying and reproducing a cyma can be essential to preserving a façade's original character. Its two variants are usually cited together, making 'cyma recta' and 'cyma reversa' the most common phrases in which the word appears.
nounA moulding in classical architecture whose profile is a double curve, part concave and part convex; the two principal forms are the cyma recta (concave above, convex below) and the cyma reversa (convex above, concave below).
- A classical architectural moulding with an S-shaped profile combining one concave and one convex curve, occurring as cyma recta or cyma reversa.
"The cornice was crowned with a delicate cyma that caught the afternoon light along its sweeping curve."
"The pediment's raking cornice terminated in a graceful cyma reversa above the entrance."
"Restorers matched the original cyma recta of the eighteenth-century entablature using cast plaster sections."
Both plurals are accepted: 'cymae' follows the Latin declension and appears more often in scholarly writing, while 'cymas' is the simpler anglicized form common in practical architectural usage.
"The workshop produced replacement cymas for all four sides of the portico."
Named after the Greek word for 'wave', this moulding literally lets a building carry the ocean's curve along its cornices.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of cyma
The word 'cyma' comes directly from the Greek kyma, meaning 'wave' or 'billow', adopted into Latin and then into English architectural terminology around the seventeenth century as classical design theory entered English building practice. The same Greek root underlies related terms such as cymatium, the crowning member of a cornice, and modern coinages like 'cymatics', the study of wave phenomena, all reflecting the root's core sense of a swelling or undulating surface.
How cyma is actually used
Almost exclusively used in architecture, art history, and restoration contexts; unfamiliar to general readers outside these fields. The plural is either the Latinate 'cymae' or the anglicized 'cymas'.
Easily confused with cyma
The cymatium is the crowning finishing piece of a cornice (often itself shaped as a cyma), whereas the cyma is the double-curved moulding profile itself.
A cymbal is a percussion instrument; despite a similar-sounding name derived from a related Greek root, it has no connection to architectural mouldings.