noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   an obelisk or upright stone pillar, usually as a primitive commemoration or gravestone

   "In the courts of the houses lie many round stelæ, or pillars, once placed on the graves of the Athenians."

2. 2
   an ancient upright stone slab bearing markings wordnet

Synonyms

All synonyms

stelestelearchbarrowboundary stonebrass

Example

More examples

"In the courts of the houses lie many round stelæ, or pillars, once placed on the graves of the Athenians."

Etymology

From Latin stēla, from Ancient Greek στήλη (stḗlē). Doublet of stele.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.