Definitions for pillar
ˈpɪl ərpil·lar

Princeton's WordNet(5.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. pillar(noun)

   a fundamental principle or practice

   "science eroded the pillars of superstition"

2. column, tower, pillar(noun)

   anything that approximates 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"

3. pillar, mainstay(noun)

   a prominent supporter

   "he is a pillar of the community"

4. column, pillar(noun)

   a vertical cylindrical structure standing alone and not supporting anything (such as a monument)

5. column, pillar(noun)

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

Wiktionary(2.67 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. pillar(Noun)

   A large post, often used as supporting architecture.

2. pillar(Noun)

   Something resembling such a structure.

   a pillar of smoke

3. pillar(Noun)

   An essential part of something that provides support.

   He's a pillar of the community.

4. pillar(Verb)

   To provide with pillars or added strength as if from pillars.

Webster Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Pillar(noun)

   the general and popular term for a firm, upright, insulated support for a superstructure; a pier, column, or post; also, a column or shaft not supporting a superstructure, as one erected for a monument or an ornament

   Etymology: [OE. pilerF. pilier, LL. pilare, pilarium, pilarius, fr. L. pila a pillar. See Pile a heap.]

2. Pillar(noun)

   figuratively, that which resembles such a pillar in appearance, character, or office; a supporter or mainstay; as, the Pillars of Hercules; a pillar of the state

   Etymology: [OE. pilerF. pilier, LL. pilare, pilarium, pilarius, fr. L. pila a pillar. See Pile a heap.]

3. Pillar(noun)

   a portable ornamental column, formerly carried before a cardinal, as emblematic of his support to the church

   Etymology: [OE. pilerF. pilier, LL. pilare, pilarium, pilarius, fr. L. pila a pillar. See Pile a heap.]

4. Pillar(noun)

   the center of the volta, ring, or manege ground, around which a horse turns

   Etymology: [OE. pilerF. pilier, LL. pilare, pilarium, pilarius, fr. L. pila a pillar. See Pile a heap.]

5. Pillar(adj)

   having a support in the form of a pillar, instead of legs; as, a pillar drill

   Etymology: [OE. pilerF. pilier, LL. pilare, pilarium, pilarius, fr. L. pila a pillar. See Pile a heap.]

Freebase(4.00 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Pillar

   Pillar is a Christian rock band currently located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Their sixth studio album, Confessions, was released in 2009. On October 27, 2012 Pillar announced that the four members from the "peak years" would be reuniting with plans of releasing a new album in 2013.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Pillar

   pil′ar, n. (archit.) a detached support, differing from a column in that it is not necessarily cylindrical, or of classical proportions: one who, or anything that, sustains: something resembling a pillar in appearance.—adj. Pill′ared, supported by a pillar: having the form of a pillar.—ns. Pill′ar-box, a short pillar in a street with receptacle for letters to be sent by post; Pill′arist, Pill′ar-saint, a person in the early church who crucified the flesh by living on the summit of pillars in the open air, a stylite.—From pillar to post, from one state of difficulty to another: hither and thither. [O. Fr. piler (Fr. pilier)—Low L. pilare—L. pīla, a pillar.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. pillar

   A type of structure.

   The pillar of the carpark was sturdy.

   Submitted by MaryC on March 10, 2020  

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. pillar

   Song lyrics by pillar -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by pillar on the Lyrics.com website.

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'pillar' in Nouns Frequency: #2990

Anagrams for pillar »

1. Aprill

How to pronounce pillar?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say pillar in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of pillar in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of pillar in Pythagorean Numerology is: 5

Examples of pillar in a Sentence

1. Josep Lluis Cusido:

   I managed to hide behind a pillar, there were unlucky people who they killed right there.

2. Rob Thomas:

   I got to the center of the mall, I saw this car. Its a black SUV crashed against a pillar in front of the Clarks shoe store.

3. Lawrence Durrell:

   Now stiff on a pillar with a phallic air nelson stylites in Trafalgar square reminds the British what once they were.

4. Max Morgan:

   The monument is one which is climbed on a lot by kids. Max has actually [been] playing on it since he was around two years old, the monument is like two pillar tops placed on top of one another, the hole on the top one is smaller than the bottom.

5. Bilingual Hirai:

   The entertainment segment has maintained profitability for 18 years straight, and as a generator of stable profit, it is a major pillar of the Sony Group.

Images & Illustrations of pillar

Popularity rank by frequency of use