pilaster

P3I1L1A1S1T1E1R1
UK/pɪˈlastə/US/pɪˈlæstɚ/

noun

A rectangular column that projects partially from the wall to which it is attached; it gives the appearance of a support, but is only for decoration.

OriginMiddle French pilastre ← Italian pilastro →
RareScrabble 10
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Meanings

nounpilaster (plural pilasters)

plural pilasters · alternative pilastre

  1. decorative architectureA rectangular column that projects partially from the wall to which it is attached; it gives the appearance of a support, but is only for decoration.
  2. structural architectureA column or short wing wall attached to the foundation wall which provides lateral support, or to support a vertical load that does not fall on the foundation wall.

Origin

  1. Italianpilastro
  2. Middle Frenchpilastre
  3. Englishpilaster

From Middle French pilastre, from Italian pilastro. Equivalent to pillar + -aster.

More words from Middle French, Italian

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan pilastra
  • pilastraa column attached to the wall
Dutch pilaster, wandpilaster
  • pilastera column attached to the wall
  • wandpilastera column attached to the wall
Finnish pilasteri
  • pilasteria column attached to the wall
French pilastre
  • pilastrea column attached to the wall
German Pilaster
  • Pilastera column attached to the wall
Hungarian pilaszter
  • pilasztera column attached to the wall
Italian parasta
  • parastaa column attached to the wall
Persian جرز
  • جرز (jerz)a column attached to the wall
Polish pilaster
  • pilastera column attached to the wall
Portuguese pilastra
  • pilastraa column attached to the wall
Romanian pilastru
  • pilastrua column attached to the wall
Russian пиля́стра, пиля́стр
  • пиля́стра (piljástra)a column attached to the wall
  • пиля́стр (piljástr)a column attached to the wall
Spanish pilastra
  • pilastraa column attached to the wall
Ukrainian піля́стр, піля́стра
  • піля́стр (piljástr)a column attached to the wall
  • піля́стра (piljástra)a column attached to the wall

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

priestal
Cite this entry
APA

pilaster. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pilaster

MLA

“pilaster.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pilaster. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pilaster,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pilaster.

Source: pilaster on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.