Standard Lemma guide

beacon

name · noun · verb · 19 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈbiːkən/
  • rhymes with -iːkən
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: B IY1 K AH0 N Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

name

Meaning 1

A town in Western Australia.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

name

Meaning 2

A city and town in Iowa, United States.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

name

Meaning 3

A city in New York, United States.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

name

Meaning 4

A hamlet in Devon, England.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

name

Meaning 5

A surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

A signal, buoy, post, or other conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners, particularly to warn vessels of danger.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: nautical, transport

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A high hill or other easily distinguishable object near the shore which can serve as guidance for seafarers.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

noun

Meaning 9

That which gives notice of danger, hope, etc., or keeps people on the correct path; a source of inspiration.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: figuratively

Examples

  • a beacon of hope

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

An electronic device that broadcasts a signal to nearby portable devices, enabling smartphones etc. to perform actions when in physical proximity to the beacon.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

noun

Meaning 11

Ellipsis of web beacon.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Internet, abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

verb

Meaning 12

To act as a beacon.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

13

verb

Meaning 13

To give light to, as a beacon; to light up; to illumine.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

14

verb

Meaning 14

To furnish with a beacon or beacons.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

15

noun

Meaning 15

a tower with a light that gives warning of shoals to passing ships

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lighthouse, beacon light, pharos

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: tower

Narrower terms: Tower of Pharos

16

noun

Meaning 16

a radio station that broadcasts a directional signal for navigational purposes

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: radio beacon

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: radio station

17

noun

Meaning 17

a fire (usually on a hill or tower) that can be seen from a distance

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: beacon fire

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: visual signal

Narrower terms: signal fire, signal light

18

verb

Meaning 18

guide with a beacon

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: lead, take, direct, conduct, guide

19

verb

Meaning 19

shine like a beacon

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: shine, beam

History

Etymology

From Middle English beken, from Old English bēacn (“sign, signal”), from Proto-West Germanic *baukn, from Proto-Germanic *baukną, from Proto-Indo-European *bheh2u-, *bheh2- (“to shine”). Doublet of buoy. Compare West Frisian beaken (“buoy”), Dutch baken (“beacon”), Middle Low German bāke (“beacon, sign”), German Bake (“traffic sign”), Middle High German bouchen (“sign”).

Across languages

Translations

97 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: فَنَار (fanār) — signal fire
  • Central Bikol: tingraw — signal fire
  • Bulgarian: сигнален огън (signalen ogǎn) — signal fire
  • Catalan: balisa — signal fire
  • Catalan: alimara — signal fire
  • Catalan: alimària — signal fire
  • Chinese: 烽火 (fēng huǒ) — signal fire
  • Chinese: 狼烟 (láng yān) — signal fire
  • Dutch: baken — signal fire
  • Dutch: bakenvuur — signal fire
  • Finnish: merkkituli — signal fire
  • French: balise — signal fire
  • Galician: facho — signal fire
  • Galician: brandariz — signal fire
  • German: Leuchtfeuer — signal fire
  • Ancient Greek: φρυκτός (phruktós) — signal fire
  • Ancient Greek: πυρσός (pursós) — signal fire
  • Hebrew: מַשּׂוּאָה (masu'á) — signal fire
  • Hungarian: jelzőtűz — signal fire
  • Hungarian: jelzőfény — signal fire
  • Hungarian: irányfény — signal fire
  • Hungarian: jelfény — signal fire
  • Italian: segnale — signal fire
  • Italian: fuoco di segnalazione — signal fire
  • Japanese: かがり火 (kagaribi) — signal fire
  • Japanese: 狼煙 (noroshi) — signal fire
  • Macedonian: си́гнален о́ган (sígnalen ógan) — signal fire
  • Māori: ramaroa — signal fire
  • Norwegian: varde — signal fire
  • Portuguese: almenara — signal fire
  • Russian: сигна́льный ого́нь (signálʹnyj ogónʹ) — signal fire
  • Serbo-Croatian: сигнална ва̏тра — signal fire
  • Serbo-Croatian: signalna vȁtra — signal fire
  • Spanish: baliza — signal fire
  • Spanish: almenara — signal fire
  • Swedish: vårdkase — signal fire
  • Swedish: böte — signal fire
  • Turkish: fener — signal fire
  • Ottoman Turkish: فنار (fenar, fener) — signal fire
  • Ukrainian: сигна́льний вого́нь (syhnálʹnyj vohónʹ) — signal fire
  • Arabic: مَنَار (manār) — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Catalan: balisa — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Chinese: 燈塔 /灯塔 (dēng tǎ) — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Dutch: baken — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Finnish: merimerkki — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Finnish: viitta — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Finnish: loisto — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • French: phare — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Galician: balisma — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Galician: mallón — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • German: Bake — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Hungarian: jelzőállomás — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Hungarian: világítótorony — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Hungarian: irányjeladó — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Hungarian: jelzőberendezés — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Italian: faro — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Italian: radiofaro — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Korean: 등댓불 (deungdaetbul) — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Polish: bakan — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Polish: baken — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Portuguese: farol — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Portuguese: fanal — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Russian: мая́к (maják) — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Russian: ба́кен (báken) — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Spanish: almenara — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Swedish: sjömärke — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Swedish: båk — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Ottoman Turkish: فنار (fenar, fener) — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Ukrainian: мая́к (maják) — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Ukrainian: ба́кен (báken) — signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners
  • Dutch: baken — high hill or similar
  • Finnish: maamerkki — high hill or similar
  • French: amer — high hill or similar
  • Galician: curuto — high hill or similar
  • Galician: cruto — high hill or similar
  • German: Bake — high hill or similar
  • German: Orientierungspunkt — high hill or similar
  • Hungarian: tereppont — high hill or similar
  • Italian: punto cospicuo — high hill or similar
  • Norwegian: røys — high hill or similar
  • Norwegian: landemerke — high hill or similar
  • Spanish: cúspide — high hill or similar
  • Spanish: punto conspicuo — high hill or similar
  • Swedish: sjömärke — high hill or similar
  • Swedish: landmärke — high hill or similar
  • Swedish: röse — high hill or similar
  • Bulgarian: предупреждение (predupreždenie) — that which warns
  • Finnish: varoitin — that which warns
  • German: Fanal — that which warns
  • Hungarian: vezércsillag — that which warns
  • Hungarian: inspiráció — that which warns
  • Hungarian: reménység — that which warns
  • Macedonian: предупреду́вање (predupredúvanje) — that which warns
  • Russian: предупрежде́ние (predupreždénije) — that which warns
  • Serbo-Croatian: упозоре́ње — that which warns
  • Serbo-Croatian: upozorénje — that which warns
  • Ukrainian: пересторо́га (perestoróha) — that which warns
Real reading context

beacon in complete knowledge articles