pillow
Americannoun
-
a bag or case made of cloth that is filled with feathers, down, or other soft material, and is used to cushion the head during sleep or rest.
-
anything used to cushion the head; headrest.
a pillow of moss.
-
Also called lace pillow. a hard cushion or pad that supports the pattern and threads in the making of bobbin lace.
-
a supporting piece or part, as the block on which the inner end of a bowsprit rests.
verb (used with object)
-
to rest on or as on a pillow.
-
to support with pillows.
-
to serve as a pillow for.
She pillowed the child with her body.
verb (used without object)
noun
-
a cloth case stuffed with feathers, foam rubber, etc, used to support the head, esp during sleep
-
Also called: cushion. a padded cushion or board on which pillow lace is made
-
anything like a pillow in shape or function
verb
-
to rest (one's head) on or as if on a pillow
-
to serve as a pillow for
Synonym Usage
See cushion.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of pillow
before 900; Middle English pilwe, Old English pylu < Latin pulvīnus cushion (whence also German Pfühl)
Explanation
A pillow is something you rest your head on while you sleep. Or, during a slumber party, a pillow could be used as a weapon. While in some cultures people have used hard pillows made of stone or wood, it's most common today to sleep with your head on a pillow stuffed with feathers or foam. Many people also have pillows on their chairs and sofas, either as decoration or to make them more comfortable. During a "pillow fight," playful combatants hit each other with soft pillows.
Vocabulary lists containing pillow
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.
An ice pack was also laid on the floor for Mensik to rest his head on like a pillow.
From BBC • May 27, 2026
“I can be your pillow, mommy,” her daughter said, nuzzling into her neck.
From Salon • May 27, 2026
She interviews guests but can also go into a 30-plus minute monologue without a script when she records at iHeart’s midtown Manhattan studios, where ChaCha looks on from a cushy pillow.
From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2026
Several hours later, the notification dings as Salmon and my husband have a pillow fight.
From Slate • May 10, 2026
When Jeremy returned from helping his mother, the dragon was no longer on the pillow.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
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.
