obelisk
obelisk Lexical Profile
obelisk Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A tall, four-sided, narrow tapering stone pillar that terminates in a pyramid-shaped top, originally erected in ancient Egypt as a monument or landmark.
"The ancient granite obelisk stood at the center of the public square, covered in finely carved hieroglyphs."
A typographical character (†) shaped like a small dagger or cross, used in printing as a reference mark for footnotes or to indicate that a person is deceased.
"The editor placed an obelisk next to the author's name to direct readers to the biographical note at the bottom of the page."
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the mid-16th century via Latin 'obeliscus' from Ancient Greek 'obeliskos', the diminutive of 'obelos' (a pointed roasting spit or pillar), which Greek travelers used humorously to describe tall Egyptian stone monuments.