stereobate: Meaning and Definition of

ster•e•o•bate

Pronunciation: (ster'ē-u-bāt", stēr'-), [key]
— n. Archit.
  1. the foundation or base upon which a building or the like is erected.
  2. the solid platform forming the floor and substructure of a classical temple; crepidoma; podium. Cf.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.