In architecture, a small rectangular block used as a decorative element, usually arranged in a row beneath a cornice.
From Italian 'dentello,' derived from Latin 'dens' (tooth), because the small rectangular blocks arranged in a row resemble a row of teeth. This architectural term became standard in Renaissance building terminology.
Dentils are like architecture's teeth—look at the top of many historic buildings and you'll see that row of little blocks under the roof edge, which is exactly why Renaissance architects called them 'dental blocks' in Italian!
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