Word of the Day
29 January 2026
pylon
A tower-like structure, usually one of a series, used to support high-voltage electricity cables.
Why this one
The name comes from the monumental gateways of Egyptian temples, via the Greek for gate; the same word later attached to aircraft wing mounts and, in North America, to traffic cones. In the trade, load and clearance matter more than the silhouette.
In use
We can't lift over that span until the outage is confirmed, so the crane sets up two pylons down the line.
Written by our editors to show how the term is used, not a recorded quotation.