Main Entry:

py·lon

Pronunciation:

\ˈpī-ˌlän, -lən\

Function:

noun

Etymology:

Greek pylōn, from pylē gate

Date:

1850

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 bridge2 achiefly British : a tower for supporting either end of usually a number of wires over a long span b: any of various towerlike structures3 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 zone4: a rigid structure on the outside of an aircraft for supporting something (as an engine or missile) — see airplane illustration

[pylon illustration]