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 podium
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 of podium

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Noun

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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
But in an edited video put out by the White House that showed her march to the podium, set to pickup-truck-commercial music, Zacharia appeared visibly fearful. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 16 Oct. 2026 Knowing that before an executive steps behind a podium is part of understanding the audience, just as knowing the technical subject matter is, too. — Amanda Simonian, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026 However, representing the US from the White House podium requires a different skill set. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026 From a podium, Peck recapped how the multiday New York operation was going so far, including that the previous day, officers had happened upon two foreign nationals installing a skimming device, chased them down and made arrests. — Eli Hager, ProPublica, 13 Oct. 2026 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

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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 20 Oct. 2026.

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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

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about podium

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