obelisk
OB-uh-lisk
/ˈɒbəlɪsk/
A tall, four-sided stone pillar that tapers to a pyramidal point at the top.
Obelisks are usually carved from a single piece of stone (monolithic) and were often used as sun-dials or monuments in ancient Egypt.
The story behind the word. The ancient Greeks gave this name to the Egyptian monuments. 'Obeliskos' was a humorous diminutive of 'obelos', meaning a 'spit' used for roasting meat. To the Greeks, these massive stone pillars looked like giant skewers.
Word relationships
- pillar: A pillar is a general term for any vertical support; an obelisk has a very specific shape.
- monolith: An obelisk is a type of monolith, but not all monoliths are shaped like obelisks.
- pit: A pit is a hole in the ground, the opposite of a tall, rising obelisk.
Commonly confused with
- stele: A stele is a stone slab or pillar used for inscriptions, but it is not necessarily four-sided or pointed.
Word family
- obeliscal (adjective): Relating to or shaped like an obelisk.
Collocations
- Egyptian obelisk
- granite obelisk
- monolithic obelisk
Example sentences
- "The Washington Monument is a massive stone obelisk that dominates the skyline of the U.S. capital." Describing the Washington Monument.
- "Moving a granite obelisk from the quarry to the temple required thousands of workers and immense skill." Describing ancient Egyptian engineering.
Memory hook
An obelisk is 'obvious' because it is so tall and 'lisk' (like a disk) but pointed. Obelisk = Pointed Pillar.
When not to use
Do not use 'obelisk' for a simple square pillar that lacks the characteristic pointed top.
Fun facts
- There are more ancient Egyptian obelisks standing in Rome today than there are in Egypt itself.
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