beacon en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈbiːkən/ (UK)
- (Southern-England) audio
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂-der. Proto-Germanic *baukną Proto-West Germanic *baukn Old English bēacn Middle English beken English beacon From Middle English beken, from Old English bēacn (“sign, signal”), from Proto-West Germanic *baukn, from Proto-Germanic *baukną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂u-, *bʰeh₂- (“to shine”). Doublet of buoy. Compare West Frisian beaken (“buoy”), Dutch baken (“beacon”), Middle Low German bāke (“beacon, sign”), German Bake (“traffic sign”), Middle High German bouchen (“sign”).
Meanings
-
A signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning.
No flaming Beacons caſt their Blaze afar, / The dreadful Signal of invaſive VVar.
1713, [John] Gay, Rural Sports. A Poem. […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 15:
-
A signal, buoy, post, or other conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners, particularly to warn vessels of danger.
Henceforth, wherever thou may’st roam, / My blessing, like a line of light, / Is on the waters day and night, / And like a beacon guards thee home.
1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XVII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 28:
- A high hill or other easily distinguishable object near the shore which can serve as guidance for seafarers.
-
(figuratively) That which gives notice of danger, hope, etc., or keeps people on the correct path; a source of inspiration.
Latin America’s largest economy, with a population of more than 200 million people, is a beacon for China’s delivery and ride-hailing companies looking to export their ruthlessly low-cost business models.
2025 June 20, Meaghan Tobin, “Chinese Companies Set Their Sights on Brazil”, in The New York Times:a beacon of hope
Modest doubt is called / The beacon of the wise.
c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
- An electronic device that broadcasts a signal to nearby portable devices, enabling smartphones etc. to perform actions when in physical proximity to the beacon.
-
(Internet, abbreviation, alt-of, ellipsis) Ellipsis of web beacon.
alt of web beacon
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| beacons | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
web beacon · racon · bog beacon · aerobeacon · marker beacon · beacon school · rapid rectangular flashing beacon · day beacon · beaconlike · radio beacon · rotating beacon · daybeacon · beaconry · interbeacon · emergency position indicating radio beacon · floating beacon · Beacon Falls · swamp beacon · personal locator beacon · beaconage · Belisha beacon · Beaconite · beaconwise · beacon of hope · beaconless
Descendants
Relateds
seamark · cairn · navigation mark · sea mark · navigation aid · radar reflector · leading mark
Translations (98)
ca balisa (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · es punto conspicuo (high hill or similar) · fi varoitin (that which warns) · hu irányjeladó (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · it faro (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · hu reménység (that which warns) · fi merkkituli (signal fire) · gl curuto (high hill or similar) · sv vårdkase (signal fire) · es fanal (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · bg сигнален огън (signal fire) · fr amer (high hill or similar) · de Fanal (that which warns) · zh 烽火 (signal fire) · ca alimària (signal fire) · hu jelzőberendezés (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · grc πυρσός (signal fire) · sh signalna vȁtra (signal fire) · nl baken (high hill or similar) · zh 燈塔 /灯塔 (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · ota فنار (signal fire) · ar فَنَار (signal fire) · zh 狼烟 (signal fire) · ru сигна́льный ого́нь (signal fire) · gl mallón (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · pt almenara (signal fire) · it segnale (signal fire) · uk пересторо́га (that which warns) · ja 狼煙 (signal fire) · mk предупреду́вање (that which warns) · fi merimerkki (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · tr fener (signal fire) · de Orientierungspunkt (high hill or similar) · es cúspide (high hill or similar) · uk мая́к (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · it punto cospicuo (high hill or similar) · he מַשּׂוּאָה (signal fire) · mi ramaroa (signal fire) · no varde (signal fire) · sh upozorénje (that which warns) · sv båk (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · pt fanal (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · pl baken (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · nl baken (signal fire) · pt farol (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · hu jelzőállomás (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · hu vezércsillag (that which warns) · sh сигнална ва̏тра (signal fire) · de Bake (high hill or similar) · hu irányfény (signal fire) · ca balisa (signal fire) · ru ба́кен (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · it fuoco di segnalazione (signal fire) · hu tereppont (high hill or similar) · hu inspiráció (that which warns) · sv landmärke (high hill or similar) · sv sjömärke (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · es almenara (signal fire) · it radiofaro (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · es almenara (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · bg предупреждение (that which warns) · fr balise (signal fire) · ru предупрежде́ние (that which warns) · ota فنار (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · gl balisma (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · no landemerke (high hill or similar) · gl facho (signal fire) · no røys (high hill or similar) · de Bake (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · fi loisto (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · sv böte (signal fire) · nl baken (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · hu jelzőtűz (signal fire) · mk си́гнален о́ган (signal fire) · hu jelzőfény (signal fire) · hu világítótorony (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · uk сигна́льний вого́нь (signal fire) · bcl tingraw (signal fire) · gl cruto (high hill or similar) · es baliza (signal fire) · sv röse (high hill or similar) · de Leuchtfeuer (signal fire) · ko 등댓불 (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · pl bakan (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · grc φρυκτός (signal fire) · fi viitta (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · uk ба́кен (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · nl bakenvuur (signal fire) · sv sjömärke (high hill or similar) · gl brandariz (signal fire) · fr phare (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · hu jelfény (signal fire) · ru мая́к (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · ca alimara (signal fire) · ar مَنَار (signaling or guiding mark erected as guide to mariners) · ja かがり火 (signal fire) · sh упозоре́ње (that which warns) · fi maamerkki (high hill or similar)