ENGLISH
REFERENCE

obelisk

n. countable
C2 Proficiency UK //ˈɒbəlɪsk// obelisk Archaic

n. a tall, thin stone monument that looks like a pyramid with a flat top. It was often used in ancient Egypt to mark the tombs of kings.

n. a tall, four-sided, tapering monument that ends in a pyramid-like shape. Typically constructed from a single block of stone and associated with ancient Egyptian and Roman architecture.


SIMPLE

The ancient obelisk stands in the center of the square.

CONTEXTUAL

Tourists gathered to see the massive granite obelisk that had been transported from Egypt to the city park.

COMPLEX

The towering obelisk served as a sundial and a symbol of the sun god, reflecting the architectural sophistication of the civilization that erected it over three millennia ago.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle French obelisque, from Latin obeliscus (“obelisk”), from Ancient Greek ὀβελίσκος (obelískos), diminutive of ὀβελός (obelós, “needle”). Compare obelus.

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