Do you know the definition of pinnacle? This article will provide you with all of the information you need on the word pinnacle, including its definition, etymology, usage, example sentences, and more!
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According to the Collins English Dictionary, the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language and other English dictionaries, the word pinnacle is an adjective that refers to the highest stage of development or peak of perfection. This is a figurative use.
In architecture, this refers to a small turret, slender upright spire, or top of a buttress of tower that tapers into a pointed formation. An architectural member might refer to this part of a parapet as a superstructure of a building, or call this slender upright structure a towering peak at the coping of a building.
The word pinnacle is three syllables – pin-na-cle, and the pronunciation of pinnacle is pɪnɪkəl. One can add the suffixed ing and ed to the end of pinnacle to make pinnacling (pin-na-cling) and pinnacled (pin-na-cled), which are adjectives.
If you are going to be traveling to another country that does not speak English, it is useful to know a translation of pinnacle. You can find this in something like a Spanish Dictionary or you can find many translations in one place on Word Sense. This list of transitions of pinnacle is very useful, and you may notice that some of these translations are cognates for pinnacle and look and sound a lot like it.
According to Etymonline, the word pinnacle has been used since 1300 as the Middle English pinacle. This comes from the Middle French and Old French pinacle, which comes from the Late Latin pinnaculum or Late Latin pinnāculum gable, a diminutive of Latin pinna wing affixed to the Latin āculum. This word is of Indo-European roots.
What are synonyms and antonyms of pinnacle?
There are many different words that a person could choose to use in place of the word pinnacle. These are called synonyms, which are words that have the same definition as another given word or phrase. Learning synonyms is a great way to expand your vocabulary. This list of synonyms of pinnacle is provided by Power Thesaurus.
lofty peak
acme
extreme
climax
high point
meridian
brow
height
prominence
highlight
needle
tor
elevation
vertex
apex
steeple
summit
gable
top
highest point
peaks
prime
finial
crag
tiptop
tabernacle
heights
highest level
tip
pyramid
heyday
spire
orgasm
tall tower
summits
obelisk
cap
capstone
inselberg
superlative
turret
crest
maximum
aiguille
culmination
crown
end
salad days
zenith
extremity
peak
apogee
temple
consummation
minaret
mountaintop
There are also numerous different words that a person can use that mean the opposite of the word pinnacle. These are called antonyms, which are another great way to expand your English language vocabulary. This list of antonyms for pinnacle is also provided by Power Thesaurus.
eld
bottom
depose
dumpiness
winter of one’s life
evening of one’s life
dale
foot
anticlimax
feet
extremity
plateau
depth
basin
autumn years
canyon
evening of life
dene
abapical
derivation
etymon
advancing years
anility
final period of one’s life
basis
nadir
base
seniority
beginning
winter of life
rock bottom
zero
uncontrol
surface level
old age
deepness
final period of life
meadow
floor
valley
autumn of life
depths
cause
agedness
dip
estate
decline
autumn of one’s life
depression
chair days
How can the word pinnacle be used in a sentence?
The word pinnacle can be used in many different ways in the English language. Using words in a sentence is a great way to memorize their definitions. You can also try making flashcards or a quiz for yourself to test your knowledge. Try using this new word of the day in a sentence today! You never know, it could become a new favorite. Below are several examples of using the word pinnacle in a sentence to help get your started.
At the height of her career, she was at the pinnacle of fame and the acme of beauty. She won the highest superlatives in her field, and was for all intents and purposes an unbeatable legend.
He knew he had reached the pinnacle and summit of his ambition when he made it onto the cover of TIME magazine. Others wondered if he was only in the field of climate heath for the fame, but he tried to convince himself that this was not the case.
The artist’s gifts were beautiful landscapes and the pinnacle of beauty. The recipient hung them all over her home and loved to bask in the beautiful peacefulness that the pieces evoked.
The young woman was the pinnacle of school spirit. She was on the cheerleading squad and filled in for the mascot, she was the school representative at conferences all over the nation, and she was always expressing how much she loved and believed in the school, students, and teachers.
Overall, the word pinnacle means the peak of perfection or highest stage of development. This was originally used as an architectural term to refer to a tall, thin tower. It is now mostly used figuratively to refer to something that is at the top of its field.
Kevin Miller is a growth marketer with an extensive background in Search Engine Optimization, paid acquisition and email marketing. He is also an online editor and writer based out of Los Angeles, CA. He studied at Georgetown University, worked at Google and became infatuated with English Grammar and for years has been diving into the language, demystifying the do's and don'ts for all who share the same passion! He can be found online here.