pedestal

American  

[ped-uh-stl] / ˈpɛd ə stl /

noun

pedestals plural

1. an architectural support for a column, statue, vase, or the like.

2. a supporting structure or piece; base.

3. Furniture.

   1. a support for a desk, consisting of a boxlike frame containing drawers one above the other.

   2. a columnar support for a tabletop.

4. Building Trades. a bulge cast at the bottom of a concrete pile.

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verb (used with object)

pedestaled, pedestaling, pedestalled, pedestalling

1. to put on or supply with a pedestal.

idioms

1. set / put on a pedestal, to glorify; idealize.

   When we first became engaged each of us set the other on a pedestal.

pedestal British  

/ ˈpɛdɪstəl /

noun

1. a base that supports a column, statue, etc, as used in classical architecture

2. a position of eminence or supposed superiority (esp in the phrases place, put, or set on a pedestal )

3. 1. either of a pair of sets of drawers used as supports for a writing surface

   2. ( as modifier )

      a pedestal desk

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pedestal More Idioms  

1. see on a pedestal.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• unpedestal
  verb (used with object)

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• pedestals
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pedestal

1555–65; alteration of Middle French piedestal < Italian piedestallo, variant of piedistallo literally, foot of stall. See ped- ², de, stall ¹

Explanation

A pedestal is a base or foundation that supports something like a statue or work of art. Think of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. where a statue of Lincoln sitting in a chair is raised up on a huge pedestal. Think of the physical stand or support when you use pedestal figuratively to mean a place of superiority. If you put someone on a pedestal, you honor that person or place him or her above you, as you might a piece of valued art. If you want to knock someone off his or her pedestal, you think that person is too arrogant and you want to do something to humble him or her.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pedestal pedestals pedestaled pedestalled

At City Hall, the statue of Columbus stood atop a stone pedestal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 4, 2026

Don Colossus stands proud atop a stone pedestal, keeping vigil over a small commemorative plaque.

From Slate ● Jun. 2, 2026

They’re here, they’re there, they move from pedestal to pedestal.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026

But some in the industry would argue that, despite their cultural and economic contributions, games aren't placed on the same pedestal as other creative sectors.

From BBC ● Apr. 16, 2026

Edna drew me a horse, and Héctor gave me one of his best marbles, which I set on a small pedestal carved from a dried avocado pit.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

The lower level of the Winners Gallery has cars on pedestals that are banked 9 degrees, 12 minutes—the same as the four banked turns of the racetrack.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026

Further investigation by the SIT has revealed pilferage also from the pedestals and door frames and the court says that approximately 4.54kg gold has gone missing since 2019.

From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2025

Parisi, together with a team of scientists, explored the limits of pedestals and investigated how much pressure could be applied to plasma inside a fusion reactor before instabilities appeared.

From Science Daily ● May 28, 2024

They chose to paint it “quetzal,” a rich aqua color that serves as a uniting element for the room’s other pedestals.

From New York Times ● May 2, 2024

He could make out the shells of temples and bathhouses, a half-buried amphitheater, and empty pedestals that must have once held statues.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan

The trainer swaggered up to a pedestaled tiger, thrust the chair at its open jaws.

From Time Magazine Archive

He flicked a whip at the cageful of pedestaled lions & tigers, took the chance of turning his back on them, jumped into the fight.

From Time Magazine Archive

But to Back Bay he is an idol, firmly pedestaled.

From Time Magazine Archive

Coal followed one of the curves to the closest pedestaled mirror.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Apparently she might never, even for a moment, enjoy the luxury of being a human being with ambitions like Stefan's own, but must remain ever pedestaled as his inspiration.

From The Nest Builder by Hale, Beatrice Forbes-Robertson

She had always accepted with philosophic calm the fact that such existences as hers were pedestalled on foundations of obscure humanity.

From House of Mirth by Wharton, Edith

As we drove up to the porticoed front door I observed in front of it, beside the tennis lawn, the black tool-house and the pedestalled sun-dial with which we had such strange associations.

From The Return of Sherlock Holmes by Doyle, Arthur Conan, Sir

Tuscarora County was put through its paces for a gaping world; Clinton's Ditch—"well-spring of New York's commercial supremacy, gentlemen"—shown in rosiest apotheosis; the Empire State pedestalled imperially among the nations.

From The Henchman by Luther, Mark Lee

She stands pedestalled on the lotus of our heart.

From Sir Jagadis Chunder Bose His Life and Speeches by Bose, Jagadis Chandra, Sir

And thou shalt see her standing straight and pale, High pedestalled on some rook-haunted tower: She has two earrings, silver and vermeil, And eyes like stars that shine in sunset hour.

From Forty-Two Poems by Flecker, James Elroy

Related Words

• podium