pylon

noun

py·​lon ˈpī-ˌlän 

-lən

1

a

: a usually massive gateway

b

: an ancient Egyptian gateway building in a truncated pyramidal form

c

: a monumental mass flanking an entranceway or an approach to a bridge

2

a

chiefly British : a tower for supporting either end of usually a number of wires over a long span

b

: any of various towerlike structures

3

a

: a post or tower marking a prescribed course of flight for an airplane

b

: traffic cone

c

: one of the flexible upright markers positioned on a football field at the corners of the end zone

4

: a rigid structure on the outside of an aircraft for supporting something (such as an engine or missile) see airplane illustration

Illustration of pylon

• pylon 1b

Examples of pylon in a Sentence

The bridge is supported by concrete pylons.

a row of electricity pylons

Recent Examples on the Web

And the sideline snapshot of him diving, fully extended toward the pylon became synonymous with his MVP bid. —Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 23 Jan. 2025

Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy (1) reaches for the pylon and scores a touchdown during the regular season NFL football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Pittsburgh Steelers on December 25, 2024 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA. —Alex Sherman, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2025

In a recent video, Patan showcases the aircraft's nimble capabilities by navigating around a 26-foot-tall pylon. —Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, Fox News, 15 Jan. 2025

The fumble rolled around the pylon and out the side of the end zone for a touchback, giving the Cardinals possession at the 20. —Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Greek pylōn, from pylē gate

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

pylon

noun

py·​lon ˈpī-ˌlän 

-lən

1

: a tower for supporting a long span of wire

also : any of various structures like a tower

2

: a post or tower marking a prescribed course of flight for an airplane

Medical Definition

pylon

noun

py·​lon ˈpī-ˌlän  -lən 

: a simple temporary artificial leg