pillow

Etymology

From Middle English pilwe, from Old English pylwe, pylu, pyle (“pillow”), from Proto-Germanic *pulwı̨̄ (“pillow”), from Latin pulvīnus (“cushion”), derived from pulvis (“dust, powder”) +‎ -īnus (“-ine”), for the filler of a pillow. Cognate with Dutch peluw (“pillow, bolster”), German Pfühl (“pillow”), Alemannic German Pfulme (“pillow”), and Luxembourgish pillem (“pillow”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈpɪləʊ/

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• Rhymes: -ɪləʊ

Noun

pillow (plural pillows)

1. A soft cushion used to support the head in bed.
2. (geology) A pillow lava.
3. (engineering) A piece of metal or wood, forming a support to equalize pressure; a brass; a pillow block.
4. (nautical) A block under the inner end of a bowsprit.
5. A kind of plain, coarse fustian.

Verb

pillow (third-person singular simple present pillows, present participle pillowing, simple past and past participle pillowed)

1. (transitive) To rest as on a pillow.
   • 1942: She had pillowed her head on her arm — Rebecca West, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon (Canongate 2006, p. 815-6)