See more synonyms for beacon on
  1. a guiding or warning signal, as a light or fire, especially one in an elevated position.
  2. a tower or hill used for such purposes.
  4. Navigation.
    1. radio beacon.
  7. Digital Technology. web beacon.
verb (used with object)
verb (used without object)

Origin of beacon

before 950; Middle English beken, Old English bēacen sign, signal; cognate with Old Frisian bāken, Old Saxon bōkan, Old High German bouhhan
Related formsbea·con·less, adjectiveun·bea·coned, adjective

Synonyms for beacon

See more synonyms for on
1. beam, buoy, pharos; signal fire; balefire. Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for beaconing

Historical Examples of beaconing

  • The light of a great love shone out of the wonderful deeps of them, beaconing the way clear into the haven of her heart.


    S. R. Crockett

  • My heart cleaved the eternity of separation, beaconing my sad return to them, and I followed gladly, hope being not yet dead.

  • They hold and send forth the beaconing flash from every intellectual and loving light-house in the world.

    The Cassowary

    Stanley Waterloo

British Dictionary definitions for beaconing


  1. a signal fire or light on a hill, tower, etc, esp one used formerly as a warning of invasion
  2. a hill on which such fires were lit
  3. a lighthouse, signalling buoy, etc, used to warn or guide ships in dangerous waters
  4. short for radio beacon
  5. a radio or other signal marking a flight course in air navigation
  6. short for Belisha beacon
  7. a person or thing that serves as a guide, inspiration, or warning
  8. a stone set by a surveyor to mark a corner or line of a site boundary, etc
  1. to guide or warn
  2. (intr) to shine

Word Origin for beacon

Old English beacen sign; related to Old Frisian bāken, Old Saxon bōcan, Old High German bouhhan

Word Origin and History for beaconing




Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper