pillar

American  

[pil-er] / ˈpɪl ər /

noun

• pillars
  plural

1. an upright shaft or structure, of stone, brick, or other material, relatively slender in proportion to its height, and of any shape in section, used as a building support, or standing alone, as for a monument.

   Gothic pillars; a pillar to commemorate Columbus.

   Synonyms:

   pier, pilaster

2. a natural formation resembling such a construction.

   a pillar of rock; a pillar of smoke.

3. any upright, supporting part; post.

   the pillar of a table.

4. a person who is a chief supporter of a society, state, institution, etc..

   a pillar of the community.

5. a basis or support.

   The government regards agriculture and trade as fundamental pillars for the future economy.

6. a core tenet, belief, or religious act, especially in Islam.

   As the fifth pillar of Islam, every Muslim is obligated to make pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime as long as it is possible.

   The Ten Commandments are considered to be pillars of both Judaism and Christianity.

7. Horology. any of several short parts for spacing and keeping in the proper relative positions two plates holding the bearings of a watch or clock movement.

8. Mining. an isolated mass of rock or ore in a mine, usually serving as a roof support in early operations and later removed, wholly or in part.

9. Nautical. mast.

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verb (used with object)

1. to provide or support with pillars.

idioms

1. from pillar to post,

   1. aimlessly from place to place.

   2. uneasily from one bad situation or predicament to another.

pillar British  

/ ˈpɪlə /

noun

1. an upright structure of stone, brick, metal, etc, that supports a superstructure or is used for ornamentation

2. something resembling this in shape or function

   a pillar of stones

   a pillar of smoke

3. a tall, slender, usually sheer rock column, forming a separate top

4. a prominent supporter

   a pillar of the Church

5. from one place to another

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verb

1. (tr) to support with or as if with pillars

Synonym Usage

See column.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• pillared
  adjective
• pillarlike
  adjective
• unpillared
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• pillars
  plural

Etymology

Origin of pillar

First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English piler(e), pileir, pillar(e) from Old French piler, pileir, piller, and Medieval Latin pīlāre, pīlārium, pīlārius, from Latin pīla pile ¹; see also -ar ¹ ( def. )

Explanation

If someone describes you as a pillar of strength, he's saying you're reliable and supportive, much like a pillar or column of a building that helps hold the structure up. The spelling of the word pillar looks like it has two pillars right at its center, holding the word up. Pillar is interchangeable with the word column, though you can't always use them in the same contexts. While a column and a pillar are both physical cylindrical structures, a column can also be the row running up and down on a chart, while a pillar is often someone or thing that is considered a foundation or support. Someone indispensable to your company might be considered a pillar to the organization.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pillar pillars

In Ivory Coast, reducing the "significant weight" of the informal sector with notably the creation of a status for small entrepreneurs is one pillar of an ambitious national development plan, unveiled in July.

From Barron's ● Sep. 9, 2026

“The company owns a differentiated aluminium business; executing on operational improvements and brownfield expansions will determine whether it can sustain a durable earnings and cash-flow pillar alongside iron ore and copper.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

A renter generation is emerging in America, composed of younger people who are renting longer and structuring their financial lives without the traditional pillar of home ownership.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026

"Raul's CT scan of a snake embryo revealed a structure we had never seen before ¾ it was a pillar of gut stretching through the spiral of the coiling body," Miyashita says.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 1, 2026

Sierra reached out a hand and touched a cool brick pillar.

From "Shadowshaper" by Daniel José Older

By carefully choosing the size and spacing of these pillars, the team caused light to remain inside the meta-surface slightly longer and circulate within it instead of simply passing straight through.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 18, 2026

"It sits almost like a spaceship inside this extraordinary great Victorian Hall with all the pillars so already you have this tension," said Selina Cartmell, the theatre's creative director.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

In her own court filing, the staffer described how the center had been blocked off by gates and witnessed how a forklift had "run into and hit the pillars on the building several times."

From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026

The two countries have been twin pillars of the economic, geostrategic alliance called the West, and the White House is wagering their interdependencies will drag Canada back to the negotiating table, concessions in hand.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

Somkit headed for the thick pillars of the Giant's Bridge.

From "A Wish in the Dark" by Christina Soontornvat

Related Words

• pedestal