Meaning of pedestal in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Noun
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions

  1. Pronunciation

    /ˈpɛdəstl/

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  1. Noun

    pedestal

    Etymology

    mid 16th century: from French piédestal, from Italian piedestallo, from piè‘foot’ (from Latin pes, ped-, which later influenced the spelling) + di‘of’ + stallo‘stall’

    Definitions

    1. a support or foundation

    Examples

    • « the base of the lamp »
  2. 2. a position of great esteem (and supposed superiority)

    Examples

    • « they put him on a pedestal »
  3. 3. an architectural support or base (as for a column or statue)

Famous quotes

  • « Take motherhood: nobody ever thought of putting it on a moral pedestal until some brash feminists pointed out, about a century ago, that the pay is lousy and the career ladder nonexistent. »
    Barbara Ehrenreich
  • « If you have to put someone on a pedestal, put teachers. They are society's heroes. »
    Guy Kawasaki
  • « I am and always will be a sinner. But that's the beautiful thing about Jesus. I'll always try to be a better person in the eyes of God. But I'm not all of a sudden stepping up on a pedestal and saying I'm holier than thou, 'cause I'm not! »
    Billy Ray Cyrus
  • « I need privacy. I would think that because what I do makes a lot of people happy that I might deserve a little bit of respect in return. Instead, the papers try to drag me off my pedestal. »
    Jim Carrey
  • « Hollywood people want to build you up and make you famous only to knock you off you're the pedestal they built for you. »
    Morgan Brittany

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