pyramid
Meaning
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- An ancient massive construction with a square or rectangular base and four triangular sides meeting in an apex, such as those built as tombs in Egypt or as bases for temples in Mesoamerica.
- A construction in the shape of a pyramid, usually with a square or rectangular base.
- A solid with triangular lateral faces and a polygonal (often square or rectangular) base.
- Any structure or diagram with many members at the bottom and progressively fewer towards the top.
- A medullary pyramid, the medial-most bumps on the ventral side of the medulla oblongata
- The game of pool in which the balls are placed in the form of a triangle at spot.
- A pyramid scheme.
- Alternative letter-case form of Pyramid. (a solitaire card game)
- The triangular layout of cards in the game of Pyramid.
- An approximately triangular headline consisting of several centered lines of text of increasing length.
Synonyms
Frequency
Pronounced as (IPA)
/ˈpɪɹəmɪd/
Etymology
In summary
From French pyramide, from Old French piramide, from Latin pȳramis, pȳramidis, from Ancient Greek πῡραμίς (pūramís), possibly from πῡρός (pūrós, “wheat”) + ἀμάω (amáō, “reap”) or from Egyptian pr-m-ws (“height of a pyramid”), from pr (“(one that) comes forth”) + m (“from”) + ws (“height”). Schenkel and K. Lang proposed hypothetical Coptic *ⲡⲓⲣⲁⲙ (*piram) or *ⲫⲣⲁⲙ (*phram) derived from Egyptian mr via metathesis as a source of πῡραμίς (pūramís) while Schenkel also suggested it being the source of Arabic هرم although the latter is considered far-fetched by Takacs.
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Notes