beacon
a guiding or warning signal, as a light or fire, especially one in an elevated position.
a tower or hill used for such purposes.
a lighthouse, signal buoy, etc., on a shore or at a dangerous area at sea to warn and guide vessels.
Navigation.
a radar device at a fixed location that, upon receiving a radar pulse, transmits a reply pulse that enables the original sender to determine their position relative to the fixed location.
a person, act, or thing that warns or guides.
a person or thing that illuminates or inspires: The Bible has been our beacon during this trouble.
Digital Technology.
a low-energy radio transmitter at a specific location within a store, museum, office space, etc., which identifies nearby mobile devices in order to send them location-specific messages or collect location-specific data:There must be a beacon in the luggage aisle because I just got a coupon for this suitcase on my phone.
to serve as a beacon to; warn or guide.
to furnish or mark with beacons: a ship assigned to beacon the shoals.
to serve or shine as a beacon: A steady light beaconed from the shore.
Origin of beacon
1Other words for beacon
1 | beam, buoy, pharos; signal fire; balefire |
Other words from beacon
- bea·con·less, adjective
- un·bea·coned, adjective
Words Nearby beacon
Other definitions for Beacon (2 of 2)
a city in SE New York.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use beacon in a sentence
This year, with sales depressed by the coronavirus, pickup sales have been a beacon of strength for automakers, which are trying to make up for production lost when factories were forced to close earlier in the year.
An electric Hummer? Battery-powered trucks head to showrooms | Verne Kopytoff | October 21, 2020 | FortuneIn a Telegram message, Buterin rebutted Wood’s claims, pointing to Ethereum’s impending deployment of a new version of its blockchain called beacon, and to a series of improvements related to privacy and transaction capacity.
The blockchain industry faces a moment of truth as high-profile projects go live | Jeff | October 21, 2020 | FortuneFor more than 100 years, the club sandwich has been a sturdy, protein-packed beacon of dependability.
To be sure, Cincinnati isn’t some ideal beacon of diversity.
Cincinnati’s Secret Sauce to Help Minority Businesses Succeed | Nick Fouriezos | September 15, 2020 | OzyReleased by the insects, these airborne scents could act as an beacon.
A single chemical may draw lonely locusts into a hungry swarm | Jonathan Lambert | September 7, 2020 | Science News For Students
For James, wearing the shirt was “more of a shout-out to the family more than anything,” he told the Akron beacon Journal.
‘I Can’t Breathe’ Makes It Onto the Court for Will and Kate to See | Jacob Siegel | December 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTJohn Paul II told the European Union at the time that it was “a beacon of civilization.”
And my beloved Zimbabwe has sunk from a promising beacon into an abyss of greed and dictatorship.
How I Got Addicted to Africa (and Wrote a Thriller About It) | Todd Moss | September 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTBut simultaneously, as indicated by his support for beacon, journalism is still incredibly valuable to him.
The 'Mayor of the Internet' Fights the Good Fight | Gideon Resnick | August 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTI also think Christine Baranski is a beacon of light and I, too, would like to know what Josh Charles was thinking.
The Best Emmys Moments: Seth Meyers, Bryan Cranston, and a 'Seinfeld' Kiss | Kevin Fallon | August 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThose who follow her beacon faithfully will gradually rise to the solutions of the greatest problems.
Urania | Camille FlammarionThe brilliant beacon of the Eiffel Tower sat high up in the sky, like an exile star.
The Daughters of Danaus | Mona CairdIf they had not known every inch of the way as they did know it, a beacon-light on the shore would have guided them.
The Rival Campers | Ruel Perley SmithAt length a distant colume of fire, widening and increasing as I approached, served me as a beacon.
Fox's Book of Martyrs | John FoxeAs he went forward his shifting position frequently shut out the beacon-light, but he made no mistake at any point in his walk.
Two Boys in Wyoming | Edward S. Ellis
British Dictionary definitions for beacon
/ (ˈbiːkən) /
a signal fire or light on a hill, tower, etc, esp one used formerly as a warning of invasion
a hill on which such fires were lit
a lighthouse, signalling buoy, etc, used to warn or guide ships in dangerous waters
short for radio beacon
a radio or other signal marking a flight course in air navigation
short for Belisha beacon
a person or thing that serves as a guide, inspiration, or warning
a stone set by a surveyor to mark a corner or line of a site boundary, etc
to guide or warn
(intr) to shine
Origin of beacon
1Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Browse