Advertisement

View synonyms for pyramid

pyramid

[ pir-uh-mid ]

noun

  1. Architecture.
    1. (in ancient Egypt) a quadrilateral masonry mass having smooth, steeply sloping sides meeting at an apex, used as a tomb.
    2. (in ancient Egypt and pre-Columbian Central America) a quadrilateral masonry mass, stepped and sharply sloping, used as a tomb or a platform for a temple.
  2. anything of such form.
  3. a number of persons or things arranged or heaped up in this manner:

    a pyramid of acrobats; a pyramid of boxes.

  4. a system or structure resembling a pyramid, as in hierarchical form.
  5. Geometry. a solid having a polygonal base, and triangular sides that meet in a point.
  6. Crystallography. any form the planes of which intersect all three of the axes.
  7. Anatomy, Zoology. any of various parts or structures of pyramidal form.
  8. a tree pruned or trained to grow in conical form.
  9. pyramids, (used with a singular verb) British. a form of pocket billiards for two or four players in which 15 colored balls, initially placed in the form of a triangle, are pocketed with one white cue ball.


verb (used without object)

  1. to take, or become disposed in, the form of a pyramid.
  2. Stock Exchange. (in speculating on margin) to enlarge one's operations in a series of transactions, as on a continued rise or decline in price, by using profits in transactions not yet closed, and consequently not yet in hand, as margin for additional buying or selling in the next transaction.
  3. to increase gradually, as with the completion of each phase:

    Our problems are beginning to pyramid.

verb (used with object)

  1. to arrange in the form of a pyramid.
  2. to raise or increase (costs, wages, etc.) by adding amounts gradually.
  3. to cause to increase at a steady and progressive rate:

    New overseas markets have pyramided the company's profits.

  4. Stock Exchange. (in speculating on margin) to operate in, or employ in, pyramiding.

pyramid

/ ˈpɪrəmɪd; pɪˈræmɪdəl /

noun

  1. a huge masonry construction that has a square base and, as in the case of the ancient Egyptian royal tombs, four sloping triangular sides
  2. an object, formation, or structure resembling such a construction
  3. maths a solid having a polygonal base and triangular sides that meet in a common vertex
  4. crystallog a crystal form in which three planes intersect all three axes of the crystal
  5. anatomy any pointed or cone-shaped bodily structure or part
  6. finance a group of enterprises containing a series of holding companies structured so that the top holding company controls the entire group with a relatively small proportion of the total capital invested
  7. the series of transactions involved in pyramiding securities
  8. plural a game similar to billiards with fifteen coloured balls
“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

verb

  1. to build up or be arranged in the form of a pyramid
  2. to speculate in (securities or property) by increasing purchases on additional margin or collateral derived from paper profits associated with high prices of securities and property in a boom
  3. finance to form (companies) into a pyramid
“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
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • pyramidal, adjective
  • pyˈramidally, adverb
Discover More

Other Words From

  • pyr·a·mid·like adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of pyramid1

First recorded in 1350–1400; from Latin pȳramid- (stem of pȳramis ), from Greek pȳramís; replacing Middle English pyramis, from Latin, as above
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of pyramid1

C16 (earlier pyramis ): from Latin pyramis, from Greek puramis, probably from Egyptian
Discover More

Example Sentences

Irving Weaver, 75, is owner and chairman of the North Yorkshire club who vowed when he took over in 2011 to "put Harrogate further up the football pyramid".

From BBC

Indeed, last week a 1,100-year-old pyramid in Mexico collapsed into a pile of rubble because of heavy rainfall that was preceded by record-breaking drought that evaporated entire lakes.

From Salon

They lived in large cities with a system of roads, and built amazing stone buildings, including temples, palaces, and pyramids.

Mr Plumb said the selling of Premier League broadcast rights helped support "financial contributions to the whole football pyramid".

From BBC

If this proves to be legitimate, the fall-out will land on every official throughout football’s pyramid.

From BBC

Advertisement

Related Words

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement