obelisk

noun

obe·​lisk ˈä-bə-ˌlisk 

also ˈō-

1

: an upright 4-sided usually monolithic pillar that gradually tapers as it rises and terminates in a pyramid

2

a

: obelus

b

: dagger sense 2b

Illustration of obelisk

• obelisk 1

Examples of obelisk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, and in 1977, the state built an obelisk on the church’s grounds to honor Benjamin Banneker, a naturalist and mathematician who reportedly worshipped at the church during the early 1800s. —Lily Carey, Baltimore Sun, 27 Apr. 2026

Trellises, obelisks and arbors add a dimension that plantings alone cannot achieve. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 21 Apr. 2026

The arch would dwarf the Lincoln Memorial, which is 99 feet tall, and be close to half the height of the Washington Monument, an obelisk that is about 555 feet tall. —Darlene Superville, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2026

Her materials include those most basic elements of the earth—geology—and her forms borrow from totems, obelisks, prehistoric megaliths, and Indigenous Caribbean zeniths. —Emily Watlington, ARTnews.com, 7 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin obeliscus "four-sided pillar," borrowed from Greek obelískos "skewer, four-sided pillar," diminutive of obelós "spit, four-sided pillar" — more at obelus

First Known Use

1561, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

obelisk

noun

obe·​lisk ˈäb-ə-ˌlisk 

: a four-sided pillar that becomes narrower toward the top and ends in a pyramid