Podium
/ˈpoʊ.di.əm/noun
A raised platform used for speaking, performing, or displaying awards.
Did you know?The root behind podium is the same ancient Greek word for “foot,” which also helped build words like pedal and cephalopod—proof that even authority once began at ground level.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
πούς (poús), genitive ποδός (podós)
“foot”
Late Latin
Latin
podium
“a low wall or raised platform”
Middle French
French
podium
“a platform or elevated place”
18th–19th Century
English
podium
“a raised stand or platform for speakers or performers”
Modern English
English
podium
“a raised platform used for speaking, performing, or displaying awards”
Explore more surprising origins