pylon

noun

py·​lon ˈpī-ˌlän How to pronounce pylon (audio)
-lən
1
a
: a usually massive gateway
b
: an ancient Egyptian gateway building in a truncated pyramidal form
c
: a monumental mass flanking an entranceway or an approach to a bridge
2
a
chiefly British : a tower for supporting either end of usually a number of wires over a long span
b
: any of various towerlike structures
3
a
: a post or tower marking a prescribed course of flight for an airplane
c
: one of the flexible upright markers positioned on a football field at the corners of the end zone
4
: a rigid structure on the outside of an aircraft for supporting something (such as an engine or missile) see airplane illustration

Illustration of pylon

Illustration of pylon
  • pylon 1b

Examples of pylon in a Sentence

The bridge is supported by concrete pylons. a row of electricity pylons
Recent Examples on the Web Other than kicks, the cameras on the uprights can provide unique end zone angles, including on sneaks near the goal line or an aerial view near the pylon. Joe Reedy, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2024 The rookie running back cut back up the middle on a run to the left, met All-Pro safety Antoine Winfield in the open field, then put a foot in the ground and dusted him in a race to the left pylon, adding in a stiff arm at the end for good measure. Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press, 21 Jan. 2024 Finally, no walls would be seen from within the park looking outward, except slender pylons supporting a tower, with historical exhibits below. Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2024 Waymo vehicles bumped into a construction pylon, a parking lot barrier arm, and a shopping cart—all at speeds of between 8 and 13 miles per hour. Timothy B. Lee, Ars Technica, 1 Sep. 2023 The drag of external pylons, weapons, sensors or fuel tanks is not the only limiting factor in the EX’ ultimate dash speed. Eric Tegler, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024 Gibbs followed tight ends James Mitchell and LaPorta, who set the edge and allowed Gibbs to race untouched to the pylon for the touchdown. Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press, 7 Jan. 2024 The about 4,000-square-foot house is made from approximately 1,200 tons of concrete with 200 tons of steel reinforcement and 12 large pylons that are set 60 feet into the sand. Degen Pener, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Dec. 2023 Giant concrete pylons anchor each corner of the hangars, The Times reported. Times Staff, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pylon.' 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

Greek pylōn, from pylē gate

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pylon was in 1817

Dictionary Entries Near pylon

Cite this Entry

“Pylon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pylon. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

pylon

noun
py·​lon ˈpī-ˌlän How to pronounce pylon (audio)
-lən
1
: a tower for supporting a long span of wire
also : any of various structures like a tower
2
: a post or tower marking a prescribed course of flight for an airplane

Medical Definition

pylon

noun
py·​lon ˈpī-ˌlän How to pronounce pylon (audio) -lən How to pronounce pylon (audio)
: a simple temporary artificial leg

More from Merriam-Webster on pylon

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