Gothic Gargoyles Griffin Gargoyle Statue Figurine Eagle Head Lion TorsoGargoyle the dictionary definition: a spout usually in the form of a grotesquely carved face or figure, projecting from a roof gutter. From the Old French 'gargouille' and the Late Latin 'gurgulio', both meaning throat. (from Chambers Concise dictionary) 'Gargoyles (in the strict sense) are carvings on the outside of buildings designed to direct water from the roof away from the base of the walls Some gargoyles are undecorated but many are zoomorphic