podium
English

Etymology
Borrowed from Latin podium, from Ancient Greek πόδιον (pódion, “base”), from diminutive of πούς (poús, “foot”). Doublet of pew.
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˈpəʊ.dɪi.ʌm/
Noun
podium (plural podiums or podia)
- A platform on which to stand, as when conducting an orchestra or preaching at a pulpit.
- (sometimes proscribed) A stand used to hold notes when speaking publicly.
- (sports and other competitions) A steepled platform upon which the three competitors with the best results may stand when being handed their medals or prize.
- (sports) A result amongst the best three at a competition.
- A low wall, serving as a foundation, a substructure, or a terrace wall.
- (botany, anatomy) A foot or footstalk.
Usage notes
Some people object to the “stand for holding notes” sense on the grounds that because of its etymology, podium ought to refer to something that is stood upon (or that at least pertains to the feet in some way), and that lectern should instead be used, as it refers to “reading”. This use is however well established in US English and reported without comment in US dictionaries.
Synonyms
- (stand used to hold notes when speaking publicly): lectern
Translations
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Dutch
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈpoː.di.(j)ʏm/
Audio (file)
French
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /pɔ.djɔm/
Audio (file)
References
- “podium” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).
Latin
Etymology
Borrowed from Ancient Greek πόδιον (pódion, “base”), from diminutive of πούς (poús, “foot”).
Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈpo.di.um/, [ˈpɔ.di.ũ]
Inflection
Second declension.
Case | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
Nominative | podium | podia |
Genitive | podiī | podiōrum |
Dative | podiō | podiīs |
Accusative | podium | podia |
Ablative | podiō | podiīs |
Vocative | podium | podia |
Descendants
References
- podium in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- podium in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- podium in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
- podium in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
- podium in The Perseus Project (1999) Perseus Encyclopedia
- podium in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
- podium in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin
Polish
Etymology
Borrowed from Latin podium, from Ancient Greek πόδιον (pódion, “base”), from diminutive of πούς (poús, “foot”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈpɔd.jum/
Audio (file)
Declension
Further reading
- podium in Polish dictionaries at PWN