Meaning & use
pilaster
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Meanings
nouncountablespecialist
A flat, column-like strip that sticks out a little from a wall, mainly as decoration.
Grammar: Used in architecture; the plural is pilasters.
Patterns
- a pilaster on a wall
- fluted pilasters
Stone pilasters framed the front of the library.
The architect added pilasters to give the plain wall some rhythm.
Fluted pilasters stood on either side of the door.
nouncountabletechnical
A thickened part of a wall that acts as a support, like a short buttress.
Grammar: Less common as a structural term than the decorative one.
Patterns
- a supporting pilaster
The builder strengthened the barn wall with a brick pilaster.
Pilasters helped carry the weight of the roof beams.
The old church wall has a pilaster at each corner.
Word forms
| plural | pilasters |
|---|
Common combinations
- fluted pilaster
- A fluted pilaster stood beside the window.
- stone pilaster
- The building has a stone pilaster at each corner.
- Corinthian pilaster
- The hall had a Corinthian pilaster topped with leaves.
- pilaster capital
- The pilaster capital was carved with acanthus.
- flanked by pilasters
- The door was flanked by pilasters.
Synonyms and how they differ
- column
- A column normally stands free and carries weight, while a pilaster is attached to a wall and mostly for show.
- pier
- A pier is a solid support of masonry, often plain, and usually carries more weight than a pilaster.
- buttress
- A buttress is built to resist outward pressure, so it projects further than a pilaster.
- engaged column
- An engaged column is round and partly sunk into a wall, whereas a pilaster is flat.
Word family
- pilastered adjective
- having pilasters
- pillar noun
- an upright support
- pile noun
- a related old word for a pillar or stake
Commonly confused: pilaster or plaster? pilaster or pillar?
pilaster vs plaster
Plaster is a paste for coating walls, which sounds close to pilaster but is a material rather than a column.
pilaster vs pillar
A pillar is a freestanding upright support, unlike a pilaster, which is flat against a wall.
Practice
What is a pilaster?
Choose one answer.
A pilaster is a flat, column-like projection from a wall. Plaster is the paste in option C.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pilaster”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.