English Explanatory Dictionary

pillow

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A soft cushion used to support the head in bed.
  2. Any similar head support used for sleep, such as a neck pillow or a hard porcelain pillow. Example: She slept with her head on the pillow.
  3. A pillow lava.
  4. A piece of metal or wood, forming a support to equalize pressure; a brass; a pillow block.
  5. A block under the inner end of a bowsprit.
  6. The socket of a pivot.
  7. A kind of plain, coarse fustian.
verb
  1. To rest as on a pillow.
name
  1. A surname.

Pronunciation

/ˈpɪl.əʊ/ En-uk-pillow.ogg /ˈpɪl.oʊ/ en-us-pillow.ogg /ˈpɛl.oʊ/

Word forms

pillow pillows pillowing pillowed Pellow

Etymology

From Middle English pilwe, from Old English pyle, pylu (“pillow”), from Proto-West Germanic *pulwī (“pillow”), from Latin pulvīnus (“cushion”), derived from pulvis (“dust, powder”) + -īnus (“-ine”), for the filler of a pillow. Doublet of pulvinus. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Peel (“pillow”), Alemannic German Pfulme (“pillow”), Dutch peluw (“a long, narrow pillow”), German Pfühl (“a big and soft pillow”), German Low German Pöhl (“pad, pillow, cushion”).

Derived words

a good conscience is a soft pillow ball-and-pillow structure body pillow boomerang pillow dirty pillow high pillow hotdog pillow husband pillow lace pillow lap pillow lip pillow love pillow maternity pillow neck pillow opium pillow pillow bag pillow basalt pillowbeer pillow-biter pillow block pillowbook pillow box pillow case pillowcase pillow-case pillow dictionary pillow fight pillow fort pillowful pillowing pillow lace pillow lava pillowless pillowlike pillow menu pillow pouch pillow princess pillow queen pillow shading pillowside pillowslip pillow talk pillow-top pillowtop pillow word pillowy pregnancy pillow pretzel pillow quillow sauna pillow sex pillow snow pillow spicy pillow throw pillow toss pillow waifu pillow
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