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