pylon

noun

py·​lon ˈpī-ˌlän How to pronounce pylon (audio)
-lən
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 bridge
2
a
chiefly British : a tower for supporting either end of usually a number of wires over a long span
b
: any of various towerlike structures
3
a
: a post or tower marking a prescribed course of flight for an airplane
c
: one of the flexible upright markers positioned on a football field at the corners of the end zone
4
: a rigid structure on the outside of an aircraft for supporting something (such as an engine or missile) see airplane illustration

Illustration of pylon

Illustration of pylon
  • pylon 1b

Examples of pylon in a Sentence

The bridge is supported by concrete pylons. a row of electricity pylons
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.
The bearings are tucked deep inside near the pylons, so problems are hard to spot without removing each engine for detailed inspections. ABC News, 1 July 2026 Sehgal, who wore a jacket and a quarter zip, took in the monument’s massive granite pylons, inscribed with the names and ranks of the more than four thousand Americans who never returned from the Atlantic during the Second World War. Dan Greene, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 The company wants to run the pipe below massive, metal pylons carrying transmission lines that once tied the Connecticut Yankee nuclear power plant in Haddam to the electric grid. Edmund H. Mahony, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2026 In the video, the musician trashes an apartment, gets out of a cop car, and runs through a field at golden hour with spindly pylons in the background. Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pylon

Word History

Etymology

Greek pylōn, from pylē gate

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of pylon was in 1817

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pylon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pylon. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.

Kids Definition

pylon

noun
py·​lon ˈpī-ˌlän How to pronounce pylon (audio)
-lən
1
: a tower for supporting a long span of wire
also : any of various structures like a tower
2
: a post or tower marking a prescribed course of flight for an airplane

Medical Definition

pylon

noun
py·​lon ˈpī-ˌlän How to pronounce pylon (audio) -lən How to pronounce pylon (audio)
: a simple temporary artificial leg

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