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Pharos

American  
[fair-os] / ˈfɛər ɒs /

noun

  1. a small peninsula in northern Egypt, near Alexandria: site of ancient lighthouse built by Ptolemy.

  2. the lighthouse on this peninsula.

  3. (lowercase) any lighthouse or beacon to direct sailors.

Pharos British  
/ ˈfɛərɒs /

noun

  1. a large Hellenistic lighthouse built on an island off Alexandria in Egypt in about 280 bc and destroyed by an earthquake in the 14th century: usually included among the Seven Wonders of the World

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Pharos

First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin Pharos, Pharus, from Greek Pháros, the name of an island (now a peninsula) lying off Alexandria; the name of the lighthouse at the eastern end of the island; a lighthouse

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The best strength training gyms in greater L.A. for beginners offer unique programs and community building, like PwrGirls, SixPax Gym, Iron Addicts Gym, Pharos Athletic Club, Rodeo Athletic Club, the Strength Code.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 1, 2026

"Icebergs are inherently dangerous. I would be extraordinarily happy if it just completely missed us," sea captain Simon Wallace tells BBC News, speaking from the South Georgia government vessel Pharos.

From BBC • Jan. 22, 2025

On Dec. 6, Richard Knipel, a longtime Wikipedian under the handle Pharos who is involved in the Wikimedia New York City local chapter, posted a new Wikipedia entry titled “Artwork title.”

From Slate • Jan. 12, 2023

One of the mogul’s most recent projects was to raise funds for the rebuilding of Pharos, a giant lighthouse in Alexandria, Egypt, and one of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World.

From Washington Post • Dec. 29, 2020

Two harbors flanked a causeway connecting the island of Pharos to the mainland.

From "Sterling Biographies®: Cleopatra: Egypt's Last and Greatest Queen" by Susan Blackaby

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.