Link Centre Dictionary

beacon

bea·con

UK/ˈbiːkən/ US/ˈbikʌn/ fairly common
noun (3) verb (2)

noun

1.

a fire (usually on a hill or tower) that can be seen from a distance

Synonyms
2.

a radio station that broadcasts a directional signal for navigational purposes

Synonyms
3.

a tower with a light that gives warning of shoals to passing ships

Synonyms

verb

1.
2.

guide with a beacon

Origin

From Middle English beken, from Old English bēacn (“sign, signal”), from Proto-West Germanic *baukn, from Proto-Germanic *baukną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂u-, *bʰeh₂- (“to shine”). Doublet of buoy. Compare West Frisian beaken (“buoy”), Dutch baken (“beacon”), Middle Low German bāke (“beacon, sign”), German Bake (“traffic sign”), Middle High German bouchen (“sign”).

Phrases

  • Beacon Falls
  • beacon of hope
  • beacon school
  • Belisha beacon
  • bog beacon
  • day beacon
  • emergency position indicating radio beacon
  • floating beacon

Related words

Word family

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.