pyramid
pyramid — noun
1. a solid three-dimensional shape with a flat base — often a square or triangle —
a solid three-dimensional shape with a flat base — often a square or triangle — and triangular sides that all slope upward to a single apex.
Yuki cut out a paper pyramid for her math project on three-dimensional shapes.
countable noun for geometric solid
The teacher showed the class a wooden pyramid with a square base and triangular sides.
A pyramid has one base and as many triangular sides as the base has edges.
The math teacher handed each student a small cardboard pyramid and asked them to count its faces.
countable noun for geometric solid
- square base
- triangular face
- apex of the pyramid
- polyhedron
a broader term for any solid figure with flat faces; pyramid is a specific type
- cone
similar in having a point at the top and a base, but cone has a circular base, not polygonal
2. a stack or heap of objects arranged so that each layer is smaller than the one b
a stack or heap of objects arranged so that each layer is smaller than the one below, creating a shape that widens toward the bottom and narrows toward the top.
The market vendor built a pyramid of oranges on her wooden stand.
countable noun: pyramid of + nouns
Tendai arranged the cans into a pyramid for the store's weekly display.
A small pyramid of stones marked the hiking trail through the mountain pass.
Noor stacked the books into a pyramid to make room on her desk.
- pyramid of cans
- pyramid of fruit
- pyramid of stones
Usage Note
Often used in the pattern 'a pyramid of [plural noun]' to describe how objects are stacked.
3. huge ancient stone buildings in Egypt, constructed over 4,000 years ago as royal
huge ancient stone buildings in Egypt, constructed over 4,000 years ago as royal tombs. Each has a square footprint and four sloping sides that rise toward the summit.
Linh and her family visited the Great Pyramid during their trip to Egypt last spring.
usually capitalized when referring to Egyptian structures
The pyramids of Giza are the only surviving wonder of the ancient world.
In 2023, Yara's archaeology team discovered a hidden chamber inside the Great Pyramid using a special scanner.
Ingrid bought a small model of the Great Pyramid from the museum gift shop.
Noa read about how the pyramids were built without the use of modern machines.
- the Great Pyramid
- the Pyramids of Giza
- ancient pyramid
- Egyptian pyramid
Usage Note
When referring specifically to the ancient Egyptian structures, 'Pyramid' or 'the Pyramids' is often capitalized. This sense is usually plural ('the pyramids of Giza'), but may be singular when referring to one specific structure ('the Great Pyramid').
Common Mistakes
4. a way of describing a company, system, or society where the lower levels contain
a way of describing a company, system, or society where the lower levels contain many people while each higher level holds fewer people and carries more authority.
At the top of the corporate pyramid sits the board of directors and the CEO.
metaphorical use: 'pyramid of' + organization type
Stephanie worked her way up the management pyramid over fifteen years at the firm.
At Topaz Electronics, the management pyramid has just three levels: team leads, department heads, and the CEO.
Hassan studied the pyramid of needs in his psychology class at university.
- corporate pyramid
- management pyramid
- pyramid of power
- top of the pyramid
- flat structure
an organization with few or no management levels between staff and leadership
Usage Note
This is a metaphorical extension of the geometric shape to describe structures. 'Pyramid' does not necessarily imply a fixed number of levels — the key feature is that each level has fewer people than the level below.
5. a dishonest business model in which people who join early make money by getting
a dishonest business model in which people who join early make money by getting new members to join and pay in, rather than by selling actual products or services. The scheme collapses when there are not enough new members to pay the existing ones.
Jack lost his entire savings by joining a pyramid scheme that promised huge returns.
collocation: pyramid scheme + collapse/lose money
The government warned citizens about online pyramid schemes that target new immigrants.
Pyramid schemes are illegal because they cannot sustain payments once recruitment slows down.
Camila's friend tried to persuade her to join a pyramid scheme, but she refused.
- pyramid scheme
- illegal pyramid
- pyramid scheme collapse
- invest in a pyramid scheme
- Ponzi scheme
similar in structure but typically involves a single operator who collects money from all investors and pays earlier ones with later investors' money, without requiring recruitment
Usage Note
Pyramid schemes are illegal in Taiwan under the Fair Trade Act and the Multi-Level Marketing Supervision Act. They differ from legal multi-level marketing (MLM) companies, which earn revenue from actual product sales. In Taiwanese Mandarin, pyramid schemes are commonly called 老鼠會 (lǎoshǔ huì).
Common Mistakes
6. a risky investment method in which an investor keeps buying more shares of a sto
a risky investment method in which an investor keeps buying more shares of a stock or other asset by using the growing value of the shares they already own as a guarantee for borrowing more money to buy even more shares.
Vikram pyramided his Amazon shares by borrowing against their rising value to buy more of them.
uncountable noun in financial context
Padma studied the risks of pyramiding before she tried it in the stock market.
Pyramiding uses rising share prices as loan collateral, but even a small drop can trigger a forced sale.
collocation: forced sale / margin call risk
Hari warned his friend that pyramiding is only safe in a rising market.
- pyramiding strategy
- risks of pyramiding
- pyramiding in stocks
- margin trading
a broader category of borrowing money to invest; pyramiding is a specific method within margin trading
Usage Note
Do not confuse this sense with 'pyramid scheme' (noun sense 5). 'Pyramiding' in the stock market is a high-risk but legal investment strategy, not a fraudulent recruitment model. It is most commonly used in American financial journalism.
Common Mistakes
pyramid — verb
1. to arrange or stack objects in layers that grow smaller toward the top, so that
to arrange or stack objects in layers that grow smaller toward the top, so that the whole collection has a pyramid-like shape.
The children pyramided the sand into a tall shape on the beach.
transitive: pyramid + object + into + shape
Sivan pyramided the gift boxes in the center of the table for the party.
The caterer pyramided the fruit on a large silver platter at the wedding reception.
Élise pyramided the pancakes on a plate and added maple syrup on top.
- pyramid the fruit
- pyramid the boxes
- pyramided on a plate
Grammar Patterns
pyramid + object
pyramid + adverb of place
Usage Note
Often used in cooking or retail contexts when describing food displays or product arrangements. The passive form ('be pyramided') is also common: 'The apples were pyramided on the stand.'
2. to grow or increase very quickly, with each stage of growth building on the prev
to grow or increase very quickly, with each stage of growth building on the previous one, often in a way that becomes difficult to control.
The company's debts pyramided as each unpaid loan led to more borrowing.
intransitive: debts/costs + pyramid
The factory's costs pyramided from fifty thousand to two hundred thousand dollars after its main supplier shut down.
Problems pyramided when the school lost its main source of government funding.
Jisoo watched her monthly expenses pyramid as she added more subscriptions.
- debts pyramided
- costs pyramided
- problems pyramided
Grammar Patterns
pyramid + adverb (rapidly, quickly)
Usage Note
Typically used to describe negative situations (debts, costs, problems) that spiral out of control. It is rarely used for positive, steady growth. The subject is typically an abstract plural noun: debts, costs, problems, challenges.
Common Mistakes
3. to invest in stocks or other assets by using the unrealized profits from current
to invest in stocks or other assets by using the unrealized profits from current holdings as a guarantee to borrow more money and buy even more of the same asset, repeating this cycle as the market price keeps rising.
Dahlia pyramided her stock holdings by using her paper gains as new margin.
intransitive: pyramid holdings/positions
Lan pyramided her semiconductor stock as the share price rose fifteen percent over two months.
A hedge fund pyramided tech stocks in 2021 and lost over two hundred million dollars when prices fell.
Nikos decided to pyramid his tech stocks after watching the sector rise for months.
- pyramid holdings
- pyramid a position
- pyramid on margin
- leverage
a broader term for using borrowed money to invest; pyramiding is one specific way of leveraging
- margin trade
any trade using borrowed money from a broker; pyramiding is a repeated version of this
Grammar Patterns
pyramid + on + market/stock
pyramid + adverb (heavily, aggressively)
Usage Note
Used almost exclusively in financial and stock market reporting. The subject is typically a trader or investor, and the object is typically 'holdings' or 'position'. This strategy is extremely risky because a small price drop can trigger a margin call, forcing the investor to sell at a loss.
4. to take the profits or money from one investment and put it into another larger
to take the profits or money from one investment and put it into another larger investment, repeating this cycle to build a bigger portfolio.
Tara pyramided her earnings from the first trade into a second, much larger deal.
transitive: pyramid + profits/earnings + into
Akira pyramided the profits from his real estate sale into several new rental properties.
The firm pyramided its cash reserves into higher-risk investments overseas.
Constanza pyramided her rental income into a small coffee shop business.
- pyramid profits into
- pyramid earnings into
- pyramid cash into
Grammar Patterns
pyramid + profits/gains + into + new investment
Usage Note
The object is typically a financial resource (profits, earnings, gains, cash reserves), and the preposition 'into' introduces the new investment. This sense differs from verb sense 3 in that it focuses on reinvesting realized profits rather than using unrealized paper gains as margin.
Word family
- pyramidaladjectiveB2
- pyramidicaladjectiveC1
- pyramidingnounC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/3
All four words describe structures that honor or house the dead, but they differ in form and cultural context. A 'pyramid' (noun sense 3) specifically refers to the ancient Egyptian stone structures with a square base and triangular sides, though similar pyramid-like tombs were also built in Mesoamerica. A 'monument' is the broadest term — it can be any structure built to commemorate a person, event, or achievement, such as the Washington Monument. A 'tomb' is an underground chamber or building where a dead person is buried; not all tombs are monumental. A 'mausoleum' is a large, above-ground building that contains one or more tombs, often elaborately decorated. For example: 'The Great Pyramid is both a pyramid and a tomb for Pharaoh Khufu.' 'The Taj Mahal is a mausoleum, not a pyramid.' 'The Lincoln Memorial is a monument, not a tomb.'
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'pyramid' entered English in the 1300s from the Latin 'pyramis' (meaning 'a pyramid'), which came from the Greek 'pyramis'. Some scholars believe the Greek word may have come from the Egyptian 'pimar' ('pyramid'), though the exact origin is uncertain. The ancient Greeks used the word to describe the Egyptian structures they saw, and later the meaning expanded to include the geometric shape itself.