stylite

noun

sty·​lite ˈstī-ˌlīt How to pronounce stylite (audio)
: a Christian ascetic living atop a pillar
stylitic adjective

Examples of stylite in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
In the story about the columns, they are said to have originated with a fiery seventeenth-century preacher, but the whole notion obviously owes something to the stylites, those early Christian ascetics who lived on top of pillars in the desert. Charles McGrath, The New Yorker, 7 Aug. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Late Greek stylitēs, from Greek stylos pillar — more at steer

First Known Use

circa 1638, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of stylite was circa 1638

Dictionary Entries Near stylite

Cite this Entry

“Stylite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stylite. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on stylite

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!