obelisk

[ ob-uh-lisk ]

/ ˈɒb ə lɪsk /

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See synonyms for obelisk on Thesaurus.com

noun

a tapering, four-sided shaft of stone, usually monolithic and having a pyramidal apex.

something resembling such a shaft.

an obelus.

Printing. dagger (def. 2).

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Origin of obelisk

1540–50; <Latin obeliscus<Greek obelískos small spit, equivalent to obel(ós) spit, pointed pillar + -iskos diminutive suffix

OTHER WORDS FROM obelisk

ob·e·lis·cal, adjectiveob·e·lis·koid, adjective

Words nearby obelisk

obedient, obedientiary, obedient plant, obeisance, obelia, obelisk, obelize, obelus, obento, Oberammergau, Oberhausen

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use obelisk in a sentence

The world of speakers is packed with obelisks, ovals, and what can sometimes feel like obstacles.
Level-up your PC audio experience with the best desktop speakers|Tony Ware|August 19, 2021|Popular-Science
When they touched the obelisk, they became the largest family to have ever hiked the trail.
The Six-Person Family Chasing the Triple Crown|Maggie Slepian|April 1, 2021|Outside Online
On Sunday night, the monument’s exterior lighting did not go on, and it almost may have seemed that the great obelisk and famed symbol of Washington was fading away.
Closed for virus, Washington Monument went unlit Sunday, officials say|Martin Weil|January 26, 2021|Washington Post
As she draws closer to the shoreline she is startled by the sight of a stone obelisk rising above a promontory near the center of the island.
‘Call of the Sea’: Strictly for hardcore puzzlers|Christopher Byrd|January 15, 2021|Washington Post

The Hunter can see a few obelisks dotting the surrounding hills, highlighted in a red haze, with her spirit vision activated.
‘The Pathless’: Less than the sum of its parts|Christopher Byrd|November 23, 2020|Washington Post
After years of negotiations and a tough journey, the obelisk was planted at the Place de la Concorde.
The Nile: Where Ancient and Modern Meet|William O’Connor|June 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
On the top of the obelisk is a 100-ounce aluminum cap, which acts as a lightning rod.
Weird Washington Monument History|William O’Connor|May 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A tasteful obelisk 100 feet high is raised to his memory in his native Eskdale, Scotland.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell
At the entrance stands an obelisk fifty feet high, and on it are inscribed the names of his victims.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
The obelisk in the square of St. Peter's at Rome is erected in a way which offends against all the principles of statics.
Toilers of the Sea|Victor Hugo
In less than a quarter of an hour, her masts and sails formed only a white obelisk, gradually decreasing against the horizon.
Toilers of the Sea|Victor Hugo
Constantius visits Rome; he presents an obelisk from Egypt to the city.
The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 03|Various

British Dictionary definitions for obelisk

obelisk

/ (ˈɒbɪlɪsk) /

noun

a stone pillar having a square or rectangular cross section and sides that taper towards a pyramidal top, often used as a monument in ancient Egypt

printing another name for dagger (def. 2)

Derived forms of obelisk

obeliscal, adjectiveobeliskoid, adjective

Word Origin for obelisk

C16: via Latin from Greek obeliskos a little spit, from obelos spit

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

obelisk

Origin of obelisk

OTHER WORDS FROM obelisk

Words nearby obelisk

Words related to obelisk

How to use obelisk in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for obelisk

Derived forms of obelisk

Word Origin for obelisk