obelisk

noun

1. a tapering, four-sided shaft of stone, usually monolithic and having a pyramidal apex.
2. something resembling such a shaft.
3. an obelus.
4. Printing. dagger(def 2).

noun

1. a stone pillar having a square or rectangular cross section and sides that taper towards a pyramidal top, often used as a monument in ancient Egypt
2. printing another name for dagger (def. 2)

n.“rectangular stone column tapering at the top,” 1560s, from Middle French obélisque (16c.) and directly from Latin obeliscus “obelisk, small spit,” from Greek obeliskos “small spit, obelisk, leg of a compass,” diminutive of obelos “a spit, pointed pillar, needle.” Related: Obeliskine.