pilaster

noun

pi·​las·​ter pi-ˈla-stər How to pronounce pilaster (audio) ˈpī-ˌla- How to pronounce pilaster (audio)
: an upright architectural member that is rectangular in plan and is structurally a pier but architecturally treated as a column and that usually projects a third of its width or less from the wall

Illustration of pilaster

Illustration of pilaster
  • 1 pilaster

Examples of pilaster in a Sentence

the rectangular pilasters spaced along the building's facade lend an air of classical grandeur
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Though more stately in its setting of classical pilasters and marble floors, the lobby El Bar del Majestic is pretty hopping too with live piano music. John Oseid, Forbes, 17 Dec. 2024 Rising above the great staircase is a builder’s catalogue of pilasters, cornices, corners, lion’s heads, dentils, robed muses, medallions, scrolls, and arched niches. Justin Davidson, Curbed, 10 Dec. 2024 At the southern terminus of Rossmore Avenue at Wilshire Boulevard, unceremoniously sandwiched between a couple of unremarkable low-rise office buildings stand two huge stone towers embellished with flamboyant Corinthian pilasters that mark the entrance to L.A.’s first gated community. Mark David, Robb Report, 22 Nov. 2024 Each section of the building’s exterior is paired with a layer of terra-cotta pilasters that don both the east and west façades of the tower, giving it a glamorous aged feel without overdoing it. Jessica Cherner, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2024 Highlights of the home include a fireside grand salon, an art gallery that doubles as a safe room, and a movie theater festooned with black marble fluted pilasters and red velvet seats. Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 21 Oct. 2024 On small pilasters sit 200-pound beach balls, cast in bronze and painted to match the room. Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 3 July 2024 Made of red sandstone, the pilaster depicts the Hindu god Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana, a sacred site in the state of Uttar Pradesh in northern India. News Desk, Artforum, 20 June 2024 The 12th-century fragment of a pilaster, or a rectangular architectural column in the side of a doorframe, was previously believed to have originated from Cambodia. Francesca Aton, ARTnews.com, 18 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French pilastre, from Italian pilastro

First Known Use

1573, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pilaster was in 1573

Dictionary Entries Near pilaster

Cite this Entry

“Pilaster.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pilaster. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

pilaster

noun
pi·​las·​ter ˈpī-ˌlas-tər How to pronounce pilaster (audio)
: an upright rectangular column that ornaments or helps to support a wall from which it sticks out slightly

Medical Definition

pilaster

noun
pi·​las·​ter pi-ˈlas-tər How to pronounce pilaster (audio)
: an elongated hardened ridge
especially : a longitudinal bony ridge on the back of the femur

More from Merriam-Webster on pilaster

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