podium
UK /ˈpəʊ.di.əm/ · US /ˈpoʊ.di.əm/ noun, verb
Forms podia podiums podiuming podiumed
- noun A platform on which to stand, as when conducting an orchestra or preaching at a pulpit; any low platform or dais.
- noun (sometimes proscribed) A stand used to hold notes when speaking publicly.
- noun (sports and other competitions) A steepled platform upon which the three competitors with the best results may stand when being handed their medals or prize.
- noun (sports) A result amongst the best three at a competition.
- noun The dwarf wall surrounding the arena of an amphitheatre, from the top of which the seats began.
- noun The masonry under the stylobate of a temple, sometimes a mere foundation, sometimes containing chambers.
- noun The lower portion of a high-rise building, typically of several storeys tall and acts as a foundation to the tower(s) above it.
- noun (botany, anatomy) A foot or footstalk.
- verb (intransitive, sports, colloquial) To finish in the top three at an event or competition. “The swimmer podiumed three times at the Olympics.”
Synonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin podium, from Ancient Greek πόδιον (pódion, “base”), a diminutive of πούς (poús, “foot”). Doublet of pew.
Webster’s 1913
- noun A low wall, serving as a foundation, a substructure, or a terrace wall. It is especially employed by archæologists in two senses: (a) The dwarf wall surrounding the arena of an amphitheater, from the top of which the seats began.
- noun The foot.
Etymology [L., fr. Gr. Pew.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “podium”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details