podium

1 of 2

noun

po·​di·​um ˈpō-dē-əm 

plural podiums or podia ˈpō-dē-ə 

1

: a low wall serving as a foundation or terrace wall: such as

a

: one around the arena of an ancient amphitheater serving as a base for the tiers of seats

b

: the masonry under the stylobate of a temple

2

a

: a dais especially for an orchestral conductor

b

: lectern

-podium

2 of 2

noun combining form

plural -podia

: foot : part resembling a foot

pseudopodium

Synonyms of podium

Noun

• platform
• stage
• pulpit
• stand
• rostrum
• dais
• tribune
• balcony
• altar

Examples of podium in a Sentence

Noun

the conductor on the podium tonight is one of the leading figures of classical music

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

On the day McDermott became coach of the Bills, his children Maddie and Gavin weren’t as tall as the podium at which their father was introduced. —Dan Pompei, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026

The 4-foot-7 dynamo needed a lift to ascend to the top of the podium. —Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026

During his time at the podium, the actor thanked his fellow nominees, his team, and the film's director before taking a moment to highlight a key relationship in his life. —Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Jan. 2026

Not much research has actually been done on the growth of female conductor leadership in the opera industry, Lomelí says, but women are now more commonly seen on podiums around the world. —Terry Wagner, Dallas Morning News, 2 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin — more at pew

Noun combining form

New Latin, from Greek podion, diminutive of pod-, pous foot — more at foot

First Known Use

Noun

1743, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for podium

• odium
• podium
• rhodium
• sodium
• chenopodium
• lycopodium
• monosodium
• polypodium
• desmodium
• disodium
• plasmodium
• propodeum

Kids Definition

podium

noun

po·​di·​um ˈpōd-ē-əm 

plural podiums or podia -ē-ə 

: a raised platform especially for an orchestral conductor