What does pilaster mean?
A pilaster is a shallow, rectangular projection from a wall that looks like a column without standing independently as a structural support. It commonly has a base and capital and may be fluted, ornamented, or used to divide a façade into sections. In architecture, pilasters help organize large wall surfaces while adding rhythm and visual emphasis; they are especially common in classical and neoclassical design, although the feature is not limited to those styles. The word is useful when describing a decorative wall projection whose form resembles a column, especially when distinguishing it from a free-standing column or a true buttress. It is primarily an architectural term rather than a general word for any vertical wall feature.
nounA shallow, rectangular architectural projection resembling a column, typically with a base and capital, attached to the surface of a wall. A pilaster is ornamental and structural in appearance but is generally not a freestanding support.
- An engaged column: a flattened, rectangular column projecting slightly from a wall, often used decoratively.
- A projecting vertical architectural member that resembles a column but is integrated into the wall surface.
"The façade is articulated by tall pilasters framing the windows."
"The entrance hall is lined with white marble pilasters."
"The artist painted the pilasters gold, giving the room an opulent appearance."
The regular plural is pilasters.
"The façade was decorated with pilasters and carved stone panels."
A pilaster is a column that never quite leaves the wall—more like a flat architectural disguise than a genuine support.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does pilaster come from?
The word comes through French pilastre from Latin pilastrum, a diminutive related to pila, meaning a pillar or column. It entered English in the late 16th or early 17th century, when classical architectural terminology was being adopted and adapted in European design. Its underlying root is also reflected in English words such as pillar and, through French, pile.
Related word forms
How pilaster is actually used
The term is chiefly used in architecture and architectural description. In British usage, a pilaster is often specifically a shallow rectangular projection with a base and capital, rather than any column-like form.
Easily confused with pilaster
A column is a freestanding or load-bearing vertical support, whereas a pilaster is a shallow column-like projection attached to a wall.