pinnacle

C1 Topic:General Vocabulary

US /ˈpɪnəkəl/ See IPA manual

Freq #22391

Meanings

1

noun
The highest point of success or achievement.

Winning the championship was the pinnacle of her career.
2

noun
A tall, pointed peak of rock or mountain.

Climbers gazed up at the icy pinnacle towering above them.
3

noun
A slender, pointed spire on the top of a building or tower.

Stone pinnacles rose from each corner of the cathedral tower.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the highest point of... acme apex climax culmination peak

Word family

Forms pinnacles

Simplified etymology

Pinnacle, recorded from Middle English, comes from Latin pinnaculum, “little feather,” derived from pinna, “feather,” “wing,” or “pointed peak.”

Etymology

From Middle English, borrowed from Old French pinacle, pinnacle, from Late Latin pinnāculum (“a peak, pinnacle”), from Latin pinna (“a pinnacle”); see pin. Doublet of panache.

pinacle Old French pinnāculum la-lat pinna Latin

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Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# pinnacle

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈpɪnəkəl/
**Frequency rank:** 22391

## Meanings
1. The highest point of success or achievement.
2. A tall, pointed peak of rock or mountain.
3. A slender, pointed spire on the top of a building or tower.

## Examples
- Winning the championship was the pinnacle of her career.
- Climbers gazed up at the icy pinnacle towering above them.
- Stone pinnacles rose from each corner of the cathedral tower.

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: pinacle
- Root: pinnāculum
- Root: pinna

## Etymology
From Middle English, borrowed from Old French pinacle, pinnacle, from Late Latin pinnāculum (“a peak, pinnacle”), from Latin pinna (“a pinnacle”); see pin. Doublet of panache.

## AI Etymology
Pinnacle is from Middle English, borrowed from Old French pinacle, pinnacle, from Late Latin pinnāculum (“a peak, pinnacle”), from Latin pinna (“a pinnacle”); see pin. Doublet of panache. In present-day use, it can mean the highest point of success or achievement, or a tall, pointed peak of rock or mountain.

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

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