pyramid

[ pir-uh-mid ]

/ ˈpɪr ə mɪd /

noun

Architecture.

(in ancient Egypt) a quadrilateral masonry mass having smooth, steeply sloping sides meeting at an apex, used as a tomb.
(in ancient Egypt and pre-Columbian Central America) a quadrilateral masonry mass, stepped and sharply sloping, used as a tomb or a platform for a temple.

anything of such form.

a number of persons or things arranged or heaped up in this manner: a pyramid of acrobats; a pyramid of boxes.

a system or structure resembling a pyramid, as in hierarchical form.

Geometry. a solid having a polygonal base, and triangular sides that meet in a point.

Crystallography. any form the planes of which intersect all three of the axes.

Anatomy, Zoology. any of various parts or structures of pyramidal form.

Also called pyramid scheme. a scheme that pyramids, as in speculating on the stock exchange or writing a chain letter.

a tree pruned or trained to grow in conical form.

pyramids, (used with a singular verb) British. a form of pocket billiards for two or four players in which 15 colored balls, initially placed in the form of a triangle, are pocketed with one white cue ball.

verb (used without object)

to take, or become disposed in, the form of a pyramid.

Stock Exchange. (in speculating on margin) to enlarge one's operations in a series of transactions, as on a continued rise or decline in price, by using profits in transactions not yet closed, and consequently not yet in hand, as margin for additional buying or selling in the next transaction.

to increase gradually, as with the completion of each phase: Our problems are beginning to pyramid.

verb (used with object)

to arrange in the form of a pyramid.

to raise or increase (costs, wages, etc.) by adding amounts gradually.

to cause to increase at a steady and progressive rate: New overseas markets have pyramided the company's profits.

Stock Exchange. (in speculating on margin) to operate in, or employ in, pyramiding.

Origin of pyramid

1350–1400; < Latin pȳramid- (stem of pȳramis) < Greek pȳramís; replacing Middle English pyramis < Latin, as above

OTHER WORDS FROM pyramid

pyr·a·mid·like, adjective

Words nearby pyramid

pyourachus, pyoureter, pyr-, pyracantha, pyralid, pyramid, pyramid bet, pyramid letter, pyramid of light, pyramid of medulla oblongata, pyramid of tympanum

Example sentences from the Web for pyramids

Unfortunately, dozens of pyramids are missing their peaks thanks to an overeager, gold-seeking explorer.

Egypt Ain’t The Only Pyramid Show In Town |Nina Strochlic |December 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
The pyramids of Meroe await a day when stability will allow outsiders to peek at a forgotten ancient kingdom.

Egypt Ain’t The Only Pyramid Show In Town |Nina Strochlic |December 11, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
He had aspired to construct an epic figure after visiting the pyramids and sphinxes of Egypt in 1855.

128 Years Old and Still a Looker: Happy Birthday to Lady Liberty |Elizabeth Mitchell |October 28, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
On a bus the way back from the Pyramids, we passed Gaza through a border crossing patrolled by Israel.

Gaza, You're No Good For My Marriage |Josh Robin |August 9, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

The second monster was an Englishman, Richard Vyse, who on a visit to Egypt in 1835 became fascinated by the pyramids of Giza.

The Nile: Where Ancient and Modern Meet |William O’Connor |June 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Tura, the present site of the quarries of Memphis from which the stone for the pyramids was taken.

The New York Obelisk |Charles E. Moldenke
All that we know is that they existed from the remotest period of which we have cognizance, long before the pyramids were built.

Beacon Lights of History, Volume II |John Lord
The Ethiopian pyramids are all of much more elongated form than the old Egyptian ones.

History Of Egypt, Chalda, Syria, Babylonia, And Assyria In The Light Of Recent Discovery |L.W. King and H.R. Hall
Just at noon we came in sight of the Pyramids, and in half an hour were driving through the streets of the capital of Egypt.

From Egypt to Japan |Henry M. Field
IT is the story of the Ages—old when the Pyramids were yet young; new to every generation.

The Economic Functions of Vice |John McElroy

British Dictionary definitions for pyramids

pyramid

/ (ˈpɪrəmɪd) /

noun

a huge masonry construction that has a square base and, as in the case of the ancient Egyptian royal tombs, four sloping triangular sides

an object, formation, or structure resembling such a construction

maths a solid having a polygonal base and triangular sides that meet in a common vertex

crystallog a crystal form in which three planes intersect all three axes of the crystal

anatomy any pointed or cone-shaped bodily structure or part

finance a group of enterprises containing a series of holding companies structured so that the top holding company controls the entire group with a relatively small proportion of the total capital invested

mainly US the series of transactions involved in pyramiding securities

(plural) a game similar to billiards with fifteen coloured balls

verb

to build up or be arranged in the form of a pyramid

mainly US to speculate in (securities or property) by increasing purchases on additional margin or collateral derived from paper profits associated with high prices of securities and property in a boom

finance to form (companies) into a pyramid

Derived forms of pyramid

pyramidal (pɪˈræmɪdəl), pyramidical or pyramidic, adjective pyramidally or pyramidically, adverb

Word Origin for pyramid

C16 (earlier pyramis): from Latin pyramis, from Greek puramis, probably from Egyptian

Medical definitions for pyramids

pyramid

[ pĭr′ə-mĭd ]

n.

A solid figure with a polygonal base and triangular faces that meet at a common point.

A structure or part shaped like a pyramid.

Other words from pyramid

py•ram′i•dal (pĭ-răm′ĭ-dl) adj.

Cultural definitions for pyramids (1 of 2)

pyramids

A group of huge monuments in the desert of Egypt (see also Egypt), built as burial vaults for ancient Egyptian kings. The age of pyramid building in Egypt began about 2700 b.c. (See under “World History to 1550.”)

Cultural definitions for pyramids (2 of 2)

pyramids

A group of huge monuments in the Egyptian desert, built as burial vaults for the pharaohs and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The pyramids have square bases and four triangular faces. Pyramid building began in Egypt (see also Egypt) about 2700 b.c. and required vast amounts of slave labor.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pyramid

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

Origin of pyramid

OTHER WORDS FROM pyramid

Words nearby pyramid

Example sentences from the Web for pyramids

British Dictionary definitions for pyramids

noun

verb

Derived forms of pyramid

Word Origin for pyramid

Medical definitions for pyramids

n.

Other words from pyramid

Cultural definitions for pyramids (1 of 2)

Cultural definitions for pyramids (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pyramid

noun

verb (used without object)

verb (used with object)

Origin of pyramid

OTHER WORDS FROM pyramid

Words nearby pyramid

Words related to pyramids

Example sentences from the Web for pyramids

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for pyramids

noun

verb

Derived forms of pyramid

Word Origin for pyramid

Medical definitions for pyramids

n.

Other words from pyramid

Cultural definitions for pyramids (1 of 2)

Cultural definitions for pyramids (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for pyramids