What does "pylon" mean?
A gateway to the inner part of an Ancient Egyptian temple.
Pylon
/ˈpaɪ.lɒn/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A gateway to the inner part of an Ancient Egyptian temple.
- Grammar: pylon is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: antenna tower, archway, back door, barbican.
- Useful contrasts: barrier, beam, obstacle.
- Usage evidence: The pylon was about to collapse.
How to use "pylon"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "pylon" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "pylon" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "pylon" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "pylon" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "pylon" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "antenna tower" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "pylon", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A gateway to the inner part of an Ancient Egyptian temple.
- 2 a large vertical steel tower supporting high-tension power lines wordnet
- 3 A tower-like structure, usually one of a series, used to support high-voltage electricity cables.
"The highway to the East Coast which ran through the borough of Ebbfield had always been a main road and even now, despite the vast garages, the pylons and the gaily painted factory glasshouses which had sprung up beside it, there still remained an occasional trace of past cultures."
- 4 a tower for guiding pilots or marking the turning point in a race wordnet
- 5 A tall steel or concrete tower from which cables are strung.
Show 9 more definitions
- 6 A lighting mast; a freestanding support for floodlights.
- 7 A structure used to mount engines, missiles etc., to the underside of an aircraft wing or fuselage.
- 8 A starting derrick for an aeroplane. historical
- 9 A post, tower, etc. as on an aerodrome, or flying ground, serving to bound or mark a prescribed course of flight. historical
- 10 An obelisk.
"The Washington Monument is often described as an obelisk, and sometimes even as a “true obelisk,” even though it is not. A true obelisk is a monolith, a pylon formed out of a single piece of stone."
- 11 A traffic cone.
- 12 An orange marker designating one of the four corners of the end zone in American football.
- 13 An ineffective, useless player. derogatory
"The defensemen have been total pylons tonight!"
- 14 A rigid prosthesis for the lower leg.
"McKenzie uses a pylon for all above knee amputees, and orders a permanent leg when function merits it."
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"The pylon was about to collapse."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "pylon"?
Common synonyms include: antenna tower, archway, back door, barbican, barway, beacon.
How do you use "pylon" in a sentence?
The pylon was about to collapse.
How do you pronounce "pylon"?
Pronounced /ˈpaɪ.lɒn/.
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Ancient Greek πυλών (pulṓn, “gateway”).