stele

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stele

stone marker or monument: An ancient stele marked the grave.

Not to be confused with:

steal – to take the property of another without permission: Did he steal your purse?

steel – modified form of iron: The building is reinforced with steel beams.

stele

ste·le

(stē′lē, stēl)

1. also ste·la (stē′lə) pl. steles also ste·lae (-lē) An upright stone or slab with an inscribed or sculptured surface, used as a monument or as a commemorative tablet in the face of a building.

2. stele (stēl, stē′lē) The primary vascular tissue in the stem or root of a vascular plant, consisting of the xylem and phloem together with supporting tissues, such as pith.

[Greek stēlē, pillar; see stel- in Indo-European roots.]

ste′lar (-lər) adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

stele

(ˈstiːlɪ; stiːl)

n, pl stelae (ˈstiːliː) or steles (ˈstiːlɪz; stiːlz)

1. (Archaeology) an upright stone slab or column decorated with figures or inscriptions, common in prehistoric times

2. (Architecture) a prepared vertical surface that has a commemorative inscription or design, esp one on the face of a building

3. (Botany) the conducting tissue of the stems and roots of plants, which is in the form of a cylinder, principally containing xylem, phloem, and pericycle. See also protostele, siphonostele

Also called (for senses 1, 2): stela

[C19: from Greek stēlē; related to Greek histanai to stand, Latin stāre]

stelar adj

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

ste•le

(ˈsti li, stil for 1-3; stil, ˈsti li for 4 )

n., pl. ste•lai (ˈsti laɪ) ste•les (ˈsti liz, stilz)

1. an upright stone slab or pillar bearing an inscription or design and serving as a monument, marker, or the like.

2. a prepared surface on the face of a building, a rock, etc., bearing an inscription or the like.

3. the central cylinder of vascular tissue in the stems and roots of the higher plants.

Also, stela (for defs. 1-3).

[1810–20; < Greek stḗlē, akin to Latin stāre to stand]

ste′lar, adj.

stele

An upright stone slab or tablet, often decorated or carved with inscriptions, common in prehistoric times.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	stele - the usually cylindrical central vascular portion of the axis of a vascular plant vascular tissue - tissue that conducts water and nutrients through the plant body in higher plants axis - the main stem or central part about which plant organs or plant parts such as branches are arranged
	2.	stele - an ancient upright stone slab bearing markings stela antiquity - an artifact surviving from the past stone - building material consisting of a piece of rock hewn in a definite shape for a special purpose; "he wanted a special stone to mark the site"

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References in periodicals archive ?

Though Gonzalez is mainly interested in the literary aspects of epitaphs on Greek memorials of the Archaic and Classical periods, her selection from the extensive corpus of epigraphs gives priority to the few for which the corresponding images, statues, or steles are still standing, and contribute to an understanding of the epitaphs.

Funerary Epigrams of Ancient Greece: Reflections on Literature, Society and Religion

The northern trail was built by the government during the Qing Dynasty, and today there still exist relics left behind, including official steles bearing inscriptions, along with ruins from the old post offices and grocery stores along the trail.

New Taipei launches website promoting centuries-old Tamsui Kavalan Historical Trails

These will be displayed alongside significant artefacts from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, including outstanding funerary Neolithic stela, a 3 rd -century BCE bronze statue head (loaned by the Department of Archaeology at King Saud University); a 1st-century BCE gold funerary mask from Eastern Province (loaned by the National Museum in Riyadh), 9th-century engraved steles (loaned by King Fahad National Library); 4 th -millennium BCE Anthropomorphic stele (loaned by the National Museum in Riyadh); a door of the Kaaba dating to 1355 (loaned by the National Museum in Riyadh), and a key of the Kaaba (loaned by the Department of Islamic Art at the Musee du Louvre).

Saudi archaeological exhibition to go on display at Louvre Abu Dhabi

Le ministre de la Communication, Djamel kaouane , s'est recueilli , ce matin , a la memoire de Tahar Djaout et des journalistes assassines au niveau des steles et places qui leur sont dediees a Tizi-Ouzou.

M.Kaouane se recueille a la memoire des journalistes assassines

Some huge steles stand there since ancient times, including the Great Stele, which was the largest single piece of stone that humanity ever tried to erect.

Ethiopia : The historical circuit of the north!

Brashier particularly excels in utilizing funerary steles erected at the tombs of eminent personalities from the last century of the Han rule.

Public Memory in Early China

And no less elegant were the steles that were set up in the middle of the gallery.

Adam Vackar: Dauwens & Beernaert Gallery

The project consists of six engraved-glass steles and three art installations.

Culture Minister opens Bahrain Fort Expo

The images discussed include memorial steles, ceramics, metalwork, stone carving, textiles, and manuscripts.

The dragon in medieval East Christian and Islamic art

Whether you're learning to create an etching while tourists wonder aloud why only you get to touch the ancient steles or you're basking in the moment when you leave the crowds to stand alone in a hall once used by the Chinese emperor to entertain, these are truly lifetime memories you'll be experiencing.'

-Cathay Pacific Announces New China Experience Tours

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