/ ˈpɪrəmɪd; NAmE / noun
1.
a large building with a square or triangular base and sloping sides that meet in a point at the top. The ancient Egyptians built stone pyramids as places to bury their kings and queens.
2.
( geometry ) a solid shape with a square or triangular base and sloping sides that meet in a point at the top
3.
an object or a pile of things that has the shape of a pyramid :
a pyramid of cans in a shop window
4.
an organization or a system in which there are fewer people at each level as you get near the top :
a management pyramid
► pyr·am·idal / ˈpɪrəmɪdl; NAmE / adjective
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the geometrical sense): via Latin from Greek puramis , puramid- , of unknown ultimate origin.