pillow

IPA/ˈpɪləʊ/
KK[pˈɪlo]IPA/ˈpɪləʊ/

pillow — noun

  • pillowsingular
  • pillowsplural

1. a soft stuffed item, usually covered in cloth, that you put under your head in b

1.nounA2
Definition

a soft stuffed item, usually covered in cloth, that you put under your head in bed

Example

Emma hugged the pillow and fell asleep before the movie ended.

pillow for sleeping in bed

Under his pillow, Daniel hid the letter from summer camp.

common phrase: under a pillow

Common collocations
  • soft pillow
  • feather pillow
  • under a pillow
  • use a coat as a pillow
Synonyms
  • cushion

    a broader word for a soft support and not always used in bed

  • bolster

    a long narrow pillow, often more specialized

  • headrest

    usually a built-in support on a chair, bed, or seat

Usage Note

Often modified by words such as feather, soft, travel, or extra. Distinguish from noun sense 2, which is for chairs, sofas, or the floor rather than for sleeping in bed.

Common Mistakes

I slept on the pillowcase.
I slept on the pillow.
A pillowcase is only the cloth cover, not the soft thing under your head.

2. a soft stuffed item placed on a chair, sofa, or floor so sitting feels more comf

2.nounB1
Definition

a soft stuffed item placed on a chair, sofa, or floor so sitting feels more comfortable

Example

Grandma put a blue pillow behind her back on the porch swing.

pillow behind your back on a seat

Two bright pillows made the old sofa look warmer.

decorative pillows on a sofa

Common collocations
  • sofa pillow
  • floor pillow
  • decorative pillow
  • put a pillow behind your back
Synonyms
  • cushion

    the most general and widely used word for this sense

  • throw pillow

    usually a small decorative pillow on a sofa or chair

  • seat pad

    often flatter and made specifically for a chair seat

Usage Note

More usual in North American English. In many other varieties, cushion is the more expected word for this sense, while pillow first suggests the bed item in sense 1.

Common Mistakes

She bought two pillows for the dining chairs
She bought two cushions for the dining chairs.
Outside North American English, 'pillow' for a seat support can sound unusual.

pillow — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

These words all relate to support and comfort, but they fit different situations. A pillow is the normal word for the soft item you sleep on in bed. Cushion is broader: it can support your back on a sofa, decorate a chair, or, in some varieties, refer to a seat pillow like noun sense 2. A bolster is a long narrow pillow, often placed along a bed or used under the knees. A headrest is usually built into a chair, car seat, or hospital bed instead of being a separate soft object. Say 'I need another pillow for the guest bed,' but 'The car seat headrest is too high for me.'

pillow ↗cushion ↗bolsterheadrest ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • fluff a pillow
  • plump up a pillow
  • use a coat as a pillow

Prepositions

  • on a pillow
  • under a pillow
  • against a pillow

Etymology

LatinWest GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word goes back to Old English forms such as 'pyle' and 'pylu'. In Middle English it appeared as forms like 'pilwe' before developing into the modern spelling. It belongs to a West Germanic family also seen in Dutch 'peluw' and German 'Pfulhi/Pfuhl', and that family was influenced by Latin 'pulvinus', meaning 'cushion'.