Standard Lemma guide

pilaster

noun · 3 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: /pɪˈlastə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • General-American: /pɪˈlæstɚ/
  • CMU ARPABET: P AH0 L AE1 S T ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A rectangular column that projects partially from the wall to which it is attached; it gives the appearance of a support, but is only for decoration.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: decorative architecture

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A column or short wing wall attached to the foundation wall which provides lateral support, or to support a vertical load that does not fall on the foundation wall.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Qualifier: structural architecture

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a rectangular column that usually projects about a third of its width from the wall to which it is attached

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: column, pillar

History

Etymology

From Middle French pilastre, from Italian pilastro. Equivalent to pillar + -aster.

Across languages

Translations

19 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Armenian: որմնասյուն (ormnasyun) — a column attached to the wall
  • Belarusian: піля́стра (piljástra) — a column attached to the wall
  • Catalan: pilastra — a column attached to the wall
  • Dutch: pilaster — a column attached to the wall
  • Dutch: wandpilaster — a column attached to the wall
  • Finnish: pilasteri — a column attached to the wall
  • French: pilastre — a column attached to the wall
  • German: Pilaster — a column attached to the wall
  • Hungarian: pilaszter — a column attached to the wall
  • Italian: parasta — a column attached to the wall
  • Persian: جرز (jerz) — a column attached to the wall
  • Polish: pilaster — a column attached to the wall
  • Portuguese: pilastra — a column attached to the wall
  • Romanian: pilastru — a column attached to the wall
  • Russian: пиля́стра (piljástra) — a column attached to the wall
  • Russian: пиля́стр (piljástr) — a column attached to the wall
  • Spanish: pilastra — a column attached to the wall
  • Ukrainian: піля́стр (piljástr) — a column attached to the wall
  • Ukrainian: піля́стра (piljástra) — a column attached to the wall