Beacon Meaning
/ˈbiːkən/Definition, CEFR level B2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning.
nounA signal, buoy, post, or other conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners, particularly to warn vessels of danger.
Sentence Examples
It brings a beacon of hope.
The advent of the euro is the beacon for the new millennium.
Jane Goodall's legacy is a beacon of hope for our planet.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
None
CEFR Practice Quiz
The lighthouse served as a bright ____ that guided ships safely away from the rocky coast during the storm.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The lighthouse served as a ____ to guide the ships safely through the dark.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English beken, from Old English bēacn (“sign, signal”), from Proto-West Germanic *baukn, from Proto-Germanic *baukną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂u-, *bʰeh₂- (“to shine”). Doublet of buoy. Compare West Frisian beaken (“buoy”), Dutch baken (“beacon”), Middle Low German bāke (“beacon, sign”), German Bake (“traffic sign”), Middle High German bouchen (“sign”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"No flaming Beacons caſt their Blaze afar, / The dreadful Signal of invaſive VVar."
— 1713, [John] Gay, Rural Sports. A Poem. […], 2nd edition, London: […] J[acob] Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 15:
"Henceforth, wherever thou may’st roam, / My blessing, like a line of light, / Is on the waters day and night, / And like a beacon guards thee home."
— 1850, [Alfred, Lord Tennyson], “Canto XVII”, in In Memoriam, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 28:
"Modest doubt is called / The beacon of the wise."
— c. 1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Troylus and Cressida”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
"Latin America’s largest economy, with a population of more than 200 million people, is a beacon for China’s delivery and ride-hailing companies looking to export their ruthlessly low-cost business models."
— 2025 June 20, Meaghan Tobin, “Chinese Companies Set Their Sights on Brazil”, in The New York Times:
"That beacons the darkness of heaven."
— 1801, Thomas Campbell, Lochiel's Warning:
Explore More B2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The lighthouse served as a bright ____ that guided ships safely away from the rocky coast during the storm.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The lighthouse served as a ____ to guide the ships safely through the dark.