Pillar vs. Pole — What's the Difference?

A vertical structural support in buildings.

A point of maximum concentration of a celestial body.

A fundamental principle or practice.

A long, slender piece used in sports or activities.

A slender, freestanding, vertical support; a column.

A standard measure of length in surveying.

Such a structure or one similar to it used for decoration.

Either extremity of an axis through a sphere.

One who occupies a central or responsible position

Either of the regions contiguous to the extremities of the earth's rotational axis, the North Pole or the South Pole.

To support or decorate with pillars or a pillar.

(Physics) See magnetic pole.

(architecture) A large post, often used as supporting architecture.

(Electricity) Either of two oppositely charged terminals, as in an electric cell or battery.

Something resembling such a structure.

(Astronomy) See celestial pole.

(figuratively) An essential part of something that provides support.

Either extremity of the main axis of a nucleus, cell, or organism.

(Roman Catholic) A portable ornamental column, formerly carried before a cardinal, as emblematic of his support to the church.

Either end of the spindle formed in a cell during mitosis.

The centre of the volta, ring, or manege ground, around which a horse turns.

The point on a nerve cell where a process originates.

(bodybuilding) The body from the hips over the core to the shoulders.

Either of two antithetical ideas, propensities, forces, or positions.

To provide with pillars or added strength as if from pillars.

A fixed point of reference.

The general and popular term for a firm, upright, insulated support for a superstructure; a pier, column, or post; also, a column or shaft not supporting a superstructure, as one erected for a monument or an ornament.

The origin in a polar coordinate system; the vertex of a polar angle.

Figuratively, that which resembles such a pillar in appearance, character, or office; a supporter or mainstay; as, the Pillars of Hercules; a pillar of the state.

A point in the complex plane at which a given function is not defined.

A portable ornamental column, formerly carried before a cardinal, as emblematic of his support to the church.

A long, relatively slender, generally rounded piece of wood or other material.

The center of the volta, ring, or manege ground, around which a horse turns.

The long tapering wooden shaft extending up from the front axle of a vehicle to the collars of the animals drawing it; a tongue.

Having a support in the form of a pillar, instead of legs; as, a pillar drill.

See rod.

A fundamental principle or practice;

A unit of area equal to a square rod.

Anything tall and thin approximating the shape of a column or tower;

(Sports) The inside position on the starting line of a racetrack

A prominent supporter;

A native or inhabitant of Poland.

A vertical structure standing alone and not supporting anything (as a monument or a column of air)

A person of Polish ancestry.

(architeture) a tall cylindrical vertical upright and used to support a structure

To propel with a pole

A person who is a main support of an organization.

To propel (oneself) or make (one's way) by the use of ski poles

A column used as a monument.

To support (plants) with a pole.

A vertical, decorative element in architecture.

To strike, poke, or stir with a pole.

To propel a boat or raft with a pole.

To use ski poles to maintain or gain speed.

Originally, a stick; now specifically, a long and slender piece of metal or (especially) wood, used for various construction or support purposes.

A construction by which an animal is harnessed to a carriage.

(angling) A type of basic fishing rod.

A long sports implement used for pole-vaulting; now made of glassfiber or carbon fiber, formerly also metal, bamboo and wood have been used.

A telescope used to identify birds, aeroplanes or wildlife.

(historical) A unit of length, equal to a rod (4 chain or 2 yards).

(motor racing) Pole position.

A gun.

(vulgar) A penis

Either of the two points on the earth's surface around which it rotates; also, similar points on any other rotating object.

A point of magnetic focus, especially each of the two opposing such points of a magnet (designated north and south).

(geometry) A fixed point relative to other points or lines.

(electricity) A contact on an electrical device (such as a battery) at which electric current enters or leaves.

(complex analysis) For a meromorphic function $f(z)$, any point $a$ for which $f(z)\; \backslash rightarrow\; \backslash infty$ as $z\; \backslash rightarrow\; a$.

(obsolete) The firmament; the sky.

Either of the states that characterize a bipolar disorder.

To propel by pushing with poles, to push with a pole.

To identify something quite precisely using a telescope.

(transitive) To furnish with poles for support.

(transitive) To convey on poles.

(transitive) To stir, as molten glass, with a pole.

To strike (the ball) very hard.

(transitive) To induce piezoelectricity in (a substance) by aligning the dipoles.

A native or inhabitant of Poland; a Polander.

A long, slender piece of wood; a tall, slender piece of timber; the stem of a small tree whose branches have been removed; as, specifically: (a) A carriage pole, a wooden bar extending from the front axle of a carriage between the wheel horses, by which the carriage is guided and held back. (b) A flag pole, a pole on which a flag is supported. (c) A Maypole. See Maypole. (d) A barber's pole, a pole painted in stripes, used as a sign by barbers and hairdressers. (e) A pole on which climbing beans, hops, or other vines, are trained.

A measuring stick; also, a measure of length equal to 5 yards, or a square measure equal to 30 square yards; a rod; a perch.

Either extremity of an axis of a sphere; especially, one of the extremities of the earth's axis; as, the north pole.

A point upon the surface of a sphere equally distant from every part of the circumference of a great circle; or the point in which a diameter of the sphere perpendicular to the plane of such circle meets the surface. Such a point is called the pole of that circle; as, the pole of the horizon; the pole of the ecliptic; the pole of a given meridian.

One of the opposite or contrasted parts or directions in which a polar force is manifested; a point of maximum intensity of a force which has two such points, or which has polarity; as, the poles of a magnet; the north pole of a needle.

The firmament; the sky.

To furnish with poles for support; as, to pole beans or hops.

To convey on poles; as, to pole hay into a barn.

To impel by a pole or poles, as a boat.

To stir, as molten glass, with a pole.

A long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic

A native or inhabitant of Poland

One of two divergent or mutually exclusive opinions;

A linear measure of 16.5 feet

A square rod of land

One of two points of intersection of the Earth's axis and the celestial sphere

One of two antipodal points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects the Earth's surface

A contact on an electrical device (such as a battery) at which electric current enters or leaves

A long fiberglass sports implement used for pole vaulting

One of the two ends of a magnet where the magnetism seems to be concentrated

Propel with a pole;

Support on poles;

Deoxidize molten metals by stirring them with a wooden pole

A long, cylindrical piece of material used to support.

Electrical terminals of positive or negative charge.

Yes, pillars can be designed for ornamental purposes.

Poles are used in construction but more for utility installations rather than structural support.

Pillars are generally designed to bear loads, but some may be aesthetic.

Poles can be made of wood, metal, fiberglass, or plastic.

A pillar is primarily architectural and decorative, while a pole is utilitarian.

In a social context, a "pillar" refers to a person who is a fundamental support to the community.

Yes, poles are commonly used to support power and telephone lines.

Yes, pillars often serve as critical load-bearing elements in structures.

Poles are usually anchored in the ground or attached to a structure.

Yes, pillars are used in both classical and modern architectural designs.

Yes, it refers to the extremities of the Earth's axis, as in the North and South Poles.

A totem pole has attributes of both, being decorative like a pillar but more in line with the shape and utility purpose of a pole.

While typically functional, poles can also be decorative, such as lamp posts.

Yes, it can metaphorically refer to principles or values.

Poles vary in size and shape depending on their purpose.