noun · 4 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
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/plɪnθ/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɪnθ
CMU ARPABET:P L IH1 N TH
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A block or slab upon which a column, pedestal, statue or other structure is based.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
The queen placed the vase on the plinth so the cupbearer could fill it with flowers.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The bottom course of a wall.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A base or pedestal beneath a cabinet.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
an architectural support or base (as for a column or statue)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: pedestal, footstall
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: support
Narrower terms: socle
History
Etymology
From French plinthe, from Latin plinthus, from Ancient Greek πλίνθος (plínthos, “brick”).
Across languages
Translations
50 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
пиедестал
(piedestal)
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Catalan:
sòcol
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Catalan:
basament
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Chinese Mandarin:
礎 /础
(chǔ)
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Czech:
podstavec
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Czech:
sokl
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Danish:
sokkel
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Dutch:
sokkel
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Egyptian:
p:N37
(p)
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Esperanto:
soklo
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Finnish:
jalusta
— base for column, pedestal or statue
French:
plinthe
— base for column, pedestal or statue
German:
Plinthe
— base for column, pedestal or statue
German:
Sockel
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Icelandic:
sökull
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Italian:
plinto
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Japanese:
台座
(daiza)
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Japanese:
柱礎
(chuuso)
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Japanese:
根石
(neishi)
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Latin:
plinthus
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Malay:
alas tiang
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Norwegian Bokmål:
sokkel
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Occitan:
plint
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Portuguese:
plinto
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Portuguese:
alaque
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Portuguese:
soclo
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Russian:
цо́коль
(cókolʹ)
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Russian:
постаме́нт
(postamént)
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Spanish:
zócalo
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Spanish:
plinto
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Spanish:
orlo
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Swedish:
sockel
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Swedish:
piedestal
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Swedish:
plint
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Ukrainian:
постаме́нт
(postamént)
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Ukrainian:
п'єдестал
(pʺjedestal)
— base for column, pedestal or statue
Bulgarian:
цокъл
(cokǎl)
— bottom course of stones supporting a wall
Catalan:
sòcol
— bottom course of stones supporting a wall
Finnish:
kivijalka
— bottom course of stones supporting a wall
Finnish:
sokkeli
— bottom course of stones supporting a wall
Italian:
zoccolo
— bottom course of stones supporting a wall
Occitan:
plint
— bottom course of stones supporting a wall
Occitan:
sòcle
— bottom course of stones supporting a wall
Ukrainian:
цо́коль
(cókolʹ)
— bottom course of stones supporting a wall
Ukrainian:
підні́жок
(pidnížok)
— bottom course of stones supporting a wall
Ukrainian:
підму́рок
(pidmúrok)
— bottom course of stones supporting a wall
Finnish:
jalusta
— base for a cabinet
Finnish:
sokkeli
— base for a cabinet
Portuguese:
soco
— base for a cabinet
Ukrainian:
цо́кольна пане́ль
(cókolʹna panélʹ)
— base for a cabinet
