beacon

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a fire, light, or signal used to warn or guide people

   The beacon on the hill could be seen for miles.

2. 2
   noun

   someone or something that gives hope, warning, or guidance

   The shelter became a beacon of hope after the storm.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Beacon is an Old English word related to beckon, a Germanic word recorded from Middle English whose core sense is “sign.” Beck in the sense of a commanding gesture is a Middle English shortening of beckon.

From Middle English beken, from Old English beacn, 'sign, signal'.

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External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary