podium

1 of 2

noun

po·​di·​um ˈpō-dē-əm How to pronounce podium (audio)
plural podiums or podia ˈpō-dē-ə How to pronounce podium (audio)
Synonyms of podiumnext
1
: a low wall serving as a foundation or terrace wall: such as
a
: one around the arena of an ancient amphitheater serving as a base for the tiers of seats
b
: the masonry under the stylobate of a temple
2
a
: a dais especially for an orchestral conductor
b
: lectern

-podium

2 of 2

noun combining form

plural -podia
: foot : part resembling a foot
pseudopodium

Synonyms

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of podium in a Sentence

Noun the conductor on the podium tonight is one of the leading figures of classical music
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Audiences loved Bernstein, but his full-bodied manner on the podium—arms, head, hips, shoulders, eyebrows, groin in motion—caused embarrassment and even anger. — David Denby, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025 Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson landed on the podium in third, earning Britain its first worlds medal of any color since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean finished their run of four straight ice dance titles in 1984. — Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 30 Mar. 2025 Lilah Fear and Lewis Gibson landed on the podium in third, earning Britain’s first world medal since Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean finished their run of four straight ice dance titles in 1984. — Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2025 After a subpar skate during Wednesday’s short program, Sakamoto redeemed herself with a spectacular free skate on Friday to renew her podium chances. — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for podium

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Latin — more at pew

Noun combining form

New Latin, from Greek podion, diminutive of pod-, pous foot — more at foot

First Known Use

Noun

1743, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of podium was in 1743

Rhymes for podium

See All Rhymes for podium

Browse Nearby Words

-podite
podium
-podium
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Podium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/podium. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

podium

noun
po·​di·​um ˈpōd-ē-əm How to pronounce podium (audio)
plural podiums or podia -ē-ə How to pronounce podium (audio)
: a raised platform especially for an orchestral conductor

More from Merriam-Webster on podium

Nglish: Translation of podium for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about podium

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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