Link Centre Dictionary

pillar

pil·lar

UK/ˈpɪlə/ US/ˈpɪlɚ/ fairly common

noun

1.

a fundamental principle or practice

  • “science eroded the pillars of superstition”
2.

anything tall and thin approximating the shape of a column or tower

  • “the test tube held a column of white powder”
  • “a tower of dust rose above the horizon”
  • “a thin pillar of smoke betrayed their campsite”
Synonyms
3.

a prominent supporter

  • “he is a pillar of the community”
Synonyms
4.
5.

(architeture) a tall cylindrical vertical upright and used to support a structure

Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English piler, from Old French pilier, from Medieval Latin or Vulgar Latin *pilāre (“a pillar”), from Latin pila (“a pillar, pier, mole”).

Phrases

  • bundle pillar
  • earth pillar
  • ice pillar
  • light pillar
  • pillar and stall
  • pillar block
  • pillar to post
  • post to pillar

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

Parts

Part of

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.