silo
[ sahy-loh ]
/ ˈsaɪ loʊ /
noun, plural si·los.
a structure, typically cylindrical, in which fodder or forage is kept.
a pit or underground space for storing grain, green feeds, etc.
Military. an underground installation constructed of concrete and steel, designed to house a ballistic missile and the equipment for firing it.
verb (used with object), si·loed, si·lo·ing.
to put into or preserve in a silo.
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Origin of silo
1825–35; < Spanish: place for storing grain, hay, etc., orig. subterranean; ulterior origin uncertain
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
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British Dictionary definitions for silo
silo
/ (ˈsaɪləʊ) /
noun plural -los
a pit, trench, horizontal container, or tower, often cylindrical in shape, in which silage is made and stored
a strengthened underground position in which missile systems are sited for protection against attack
Word Origin for silo
C19: from Spanish, perhaps from Celtic
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for silo
silo
1835, from Spanish silo, traditionally derived from Latin sirum (nominative sirus), from Greek siros "a pit to keep corn in." "The change from r to l in Spanish is abnormal and Greek siros was a rare foreign term peculiar to regions of Asia Minor and not likely to emerge in Castilian Spain" [Barnhart]. Alternatively, the Spanish word is from a pre-Roman Iberian language word represented by Basque zilo, zulo "dugout, cave or shelter for keeping grain." Meaning "underground housing and launch tube for a guided missile" is attested from 1958.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper