obelisk

American  

[ob-uh-lisk] / ˈɒb ə lɪsk /

noun

1. a tapering, four-sided shaft of stone, usually monolithic and having a pyramidal apex.

2. something resembling such a shaft.

3. an obelus.

4. Printing. dagger.

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obelisk British  

/ ˈɒbɪlɪsk /

noun

1. a stone pillar having a square or rectangular cross section and sides that taper towards a pyramidal top, often used as a monument in ancient Egypt

2. printing another name for dagger

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Other Word Forms

• obeliscal adjective
• obeliskoid adjective

Etymology

Origin of obelisk

1540–50; < Latin obeliscus < Greek obelískos small spit, equivalent to obel ( ós ) spit, pointed pillar + -iskos diminutive suffix

Explanation

Next time you visit the nation’s capital, you can wow tourists by telling them the Washington Monument is an obelisk — a tall, narrow stone pillar that tapers to a point at the top and commemorates an important person or event. Obelisks were all the rage in ancient Egypt and still in vogue in Rome’s heyday. The Egyptians associated the skinny four-sided monoliths with the sun god Ra and thought they looked like the sun’s rays shining down. Herodotus was among the first writers to describe obelisks, and it’s to him that we owe the word; it comes from the Greek obelos, meaning “nail” or “pointed pillar.” History buffs can still spot obelisks, also called “Cleopatra’s Needles,” everywhere from Myanmar to Manhattan.

Example Sentences

Tour the Smithsonian Gem Collection whenever you want with this book on the histories of the Star of Asia sapphire, the Dom Pedro Aquamarine obelisk and the Hope Diamond.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 28, 2025

The 92-year-old Pistoletto's most famous work, Il Terzo Paradiso, comprises a three-metre-tall mirrored obelisk and a series of blocks tracing out the mathematical symbol for infinity in the sand.

From Barron's • Nov. 11, 2025

Among the GEM showstoppers are a 3,200-year-old, 16m-long suspended obelisk of the powerful pharaoh, Ramesses II, and his massive 11m-high statue.

From BBC • Oct. 31, 2025

As an obelisk, the Washington Monument serves as a reminder of Rome’s victory over Egypt.

From Salon • Aug. 12, 2025

Soon they will be finished with their carvings and the obelisk will be raised.

From "The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra's Needle" by Dan Gutman