Over in words from Classical mythology, Dr bill offers Tholos
The post includes this sentence; corbelling in this case means making roof of successively smaller
overhanging circles until a capstone can be applied.

What else would corbelling mean? i know sometimes it can be used to make a bee hive roof, but it can also used to describe an outward projection, bricks that have been corbelled out, to create a shelf for a window box, or an ornate cornice for a roof.

but inward or outward, corbelling is a change in dimension, by layering..

       
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Dear pf troy. Thanks for your diagram. As a jest, you may now retire to your
tholos, and replace the capstone.

Hey, of troy, and then there are corbie steps, which look like your diagram!

What else would corbelling mean?

Would you talk about corbelling those tiered special occasion cakes?

Only if they step out to make the cake bigger as it goes up. Or you could try turning the cake upside down...perhaps not!