pedestal

1 of 2

noun

ped·​es·​tal ˈpe-də-stᵊl How to pronounce pedestal (audio)
1
a
: the support or foot of a late classic or neoclassical column see column illustration
b
: the base of an upright structure
the pedestal of a statue
2
: base, foundation
Tourism is the island's economic pedestal.
3
: a position of esteem
… be careful not to put celebrities on too high a pedestal.Phil Plait

pedestal

2 of 2

verb

pedestaled or pedestalled; pedestaling or pedestalling

transitive verb

: to place on or furnish with a pedestal

Examples of pedestal in a Sentence

Noun the pedestal of a vase
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Experts noted that an iron dowel had been added to the statue, allowing it to be attached to a bust or pedestal – an adaptation which was historically carried out by Italian dealers in antiquities during the late 18th century when selling items to aristocrats traveling in Italy. Amy Woodyatt, CNN, 19 Mar. 2024 Experts noted an iron dowel attached to the head, which must have connected it to the pedestal. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Mar. 2024 The black pedestal table’s spindle leg design matches the chair’s legs and makes for a convenient spot to place a cup of coffee or remote while lounging. Gabriela Izquierdo, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2024 On Wednesday, two drones inspected the area around the exterior of the main structural support in the vessel, called the pedestal. Mari Yamaguchi, Quartz, 28 Feb. 2024 From bracingly sharp when raw to silky-sweet when slowly cooked, these 31 recipes put onions on a well-deserved pedestal. Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appétit, 26 Feb. 2024 Finally, the chef carves a second plate of meat onto an oval pedestal and situates it over a glass cloche outfitted for smoke infusions. Bill Addison, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2024 Since the statue also functions as a wind vane, standing on a rotating pedestal, Trimble believes the cowboys took pleasure in watching Winged Victory spin as their bullets struck its wings. Madeline Nguyen, The Arizona Republic, 3 Feb. 2024 The loop is getting a full electric upgrade and every site will have its own power pedestal with 30 or 50 amps. Detroit Free Press, 21 Feb. 2024
Verb
The state of Virginia took that statue and pedestal down in September and deeded the property to the city. Washington Post, 1 Feb. 2022 Worse, pedestaling successful Asian immigrant families also often silences and subjugates undocumented Asian immigrants, who represent one out of every seven Asian immigrants living in the United States. Irene Hsu, New Republic, 16 Feb. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pedestal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle French piedestal, from Old Italian piedestallo, from pie di stallo foot of a stall

First Known Use

Noun

1563, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1648, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pedestal was in 1563

Dictionary Entries Near pedestal

Cite this Entry

“Pedestal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pedestal. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pedestal

noun
ped·​es·​tal
ˈped-əs-tᵊl
1
: the support or foot of a column
2
: the base of something upright (as a vase, lamp, or statue)
3
: a position of high regard
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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