pyramid

pyr•a•mid

[[t]ˈpɪr ə mɪd[/t]] n.

1) archit. a massive quadrilateral masonry structure having smooth, steeply sloping sides meeting at an apex, as a tomb built in ancient Egypt, or stepped and sharply sloping sides, as a temple platform built in pre-Columbian Central America

2) any object or arrangement of objects shaped like a pyramid

3) a system or structure resembling a pyramid, as in hierarchical form

4) math. a solid having a polygonal base, and triangular sides that meet in a point

5) cry any crystalline form the planes of which intersect all three of the axes

6) anat. zool. zool. any of various anatomical parts or structures of pyramidal form

7) bus the series of transactions involved in pyramiding

8) to take, or become disposed in, the form of a pyramid

9) bus to speculate in securities trading by using paper profits as margin for additional buying and selling

10) cvb to increase gradually, as with the completion of each phase

11) to arrange in the form of a pyramid

12) to raise or increase (costs, wages, etc.) by adding amounts gradually

13) cvb to cause to increase at a steady and progressive rate

14) bus to employ in speculative pyramiding

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Etymology: 1590–1600; < L pȳramid-, s. of pȳramis < Gk pȳramís; r. earlier, ME pyramis < L, as above py•ram′i•dal -ˈræm ɪ dl pyr`a•mid′ic, pyr`a•mid′i•cal,adj.