1.  pillar(n = noun.cognition) - a fundamental principle or practice; "science eroded the pillars of superstition"
is a kind of principle, rule
has particulars: pillar of islam

2.  pillar(n = noun.shape) column, tower - anything that approximates the shape of a column or tower; "the test tube held a column of white powder"; "a tower of dust rose above the horizon"; "a thin pillar of smoke betrayed their campsite"
is a kind of form, shape
has particulars: columella, hoodoo

3.  pillar(n = noun.person) mainstay - a prominent supporter; "he is a pillar of the community"
is a kind of admirer, booster, champion, friend, protagonist, supporter

4.  pillar(n = noun.artifact) column - a vertical cylindrical structure standing alone and not supporting anything (such as a monument);
is a kind of construction, structure
has particulars: obelisk, totem pole

5.  pillar(n = noun.artifact) column - (architecture) a tall vertical cylindrical structure standing upright and used to support a structure;
is a kind of upright, vertical
is a part of temple
has parts: cap, capital, chapiter, footstall, pedestal, plinth, scape, shaft, entasis
has particulars: atlas, telamon, caryatid, newel, pilaster, pile, piling, spile, stilt, support column

1.  The general and popular term for a firm, upright, insulated support for a superstructure; a pier, column, or post; also, a column or shaft not supporting a superstructure, as one erected for a monument or an ornament. [1913 Webster]
"Jacob set a pillar upon her grave." [1913 Webster]
"The place . . . vast and proud,
Supported by a hundred pillars stood." [1913 Webster]

2.  Figuratively, that which resembles such a pillar in appearance, character, or office; a supporter or mainstay; as, the Pillars of Hercules; a pillar of the state. Shak. [1913 Webster]
"By day a cloud, by night a pillar of fire." [1913 Webster]

3.  A portable ornamental column, formerly carried before a cardinal, as emblematic of his support to the church. Skelton. [1913 Webster]

4.  The center of the volta, ring, or manege ground, around which a horse turns. [1913 Webster]

   Having a support in the form of a pillar, instead of legs; as, a pillar drill. [1913 Webster]

pillar, n.
1 a a usu. slender vertical structure of wood, metal, or esp. stone used as a support for a roof etc. b a similar structure used for ornament. c a post supporting a structure.
2 a person regarded as a mainstay or support (a pillar of the faith; a pillar of strength).
3 an upright mass of air, water, rock, etc. (pillar of salt).
4 a solid mass of coal etc. left to support the roof of a mine.

Idiom:
from pillar to post (driven etc.) from one place to another; to and fro. pillar-box Brit. a public postbox shaped like a pillar. pillar-box red a bright red colour, as of pillar-boxes. Pillars of Hercules
1 two rocks on either side of the Strait of Gibraltar.
2 the ultimate limit.

Derivative:
pillared adj. pillaret n.

Etymology:
ME & AF piler, OF pilier ult. f. L pila pillar

N  writing, chirography, stelography, cerography, penmanship, craftmanship, quill driving, typewriting, writing, manuscript, MS, literae scriptae, these presents, stroke of the pen, dash of the pen, coupe de plume, line, headline, pen and ink, letter, uncial writing, cuneiform character, arrowhead, Ogham, Runes, hieroglyphic, contraction, Brahmi, Devanagari, Nagari, script, shorthand, stenography, brachygraphy, tachygraphy, secret writing, writing in cipher, cryptography, stenography, phonography, pasigraphy, Polygraphy, logography, copy, transcript, rescript, rough copy, fair copy, handwriting, signature, sign manual, autograph, monograph, holograph, hand, fist, calligraphy, good hand, running hand, flowing hand, cursive hand, legible hand, bold hand, cacography, griffonage, barbouillage, bad hand, cramped hand, crabbed hand, illegible hand, scribble, pattes de mouche, ill-formed letters, pothooks and hangers, stationery, pen, quill, goose quill, pencil, style, paper, foolscap, parchment, vellum, papyrus, tablet, slate, marble, pillar, table, blackboard, ink bottle, ink horn, ink pot, ink stand, ink well, typewriter, transcription, inscription, superscription, graphology, composition, authorship, cacoethes scribendi, graphoidea, graphomania, phrenoia, writer, scribe, amanuensis, scrivener, secretary, clerk, penman, copyist, transcriber, quill driver, stenographer, typewriter, typist, writer for the press, writing, written, in writing, in black and white, under one's hand, uncial, Runic, cuneiform, hieroglyphical, currente calamo, pen in hand, audacter et sincere, le style est l'homme meme, nature's noblest gift - my gray goose quill, scribendi recte sapere et principium et fons, that mighty instrument of little men, the pen became a clarion.

N  stability, immutability, unchangeability unchangeableness, constancy, stable equilibrium, immobility, soundness, vitality, stabiliment, stiffness, ankylosis, solidity, aplomb, establishment, fixture, rock, pillar, tower, foundation, leopard's spots, Ethiopia's skin, permanence, obstinacy, unchangeable, immutable, unaltered, unalterable, not to be changed, constant, permanent, invariable, undeviating, stable, durable, perennial, fixed, steadfast, firm, fast, steady, balanced, confirmed, valid, fiducial, immovable, irremovable, riveted, rooted, settled, established, vested, incontrovertible, stereotyped, indeclinable, tethered, anchored, moored, at anchor, on a rock, rock solid, firm as a rock, firmly seated, firmly established, deep-rooted, ineradicable, inveterate, obstinate, transfixed, stuck fast, aground, high and dry, stranded, stuck, jammed, unremovable, quiescent, deterioration, indefeasible, irretrievable, intransmutable, incommutable, irresoluble, irrevocable, irreversible, reverseless, inextinguishable, irreducible, indissoluble, indissolvable, indestructible, undying, imperishable, incorruptible, indelible, indeciduous, insusceptible, insusceptible of change, Int, stet, littera scripta manet.

N  height, altitude, elevation, eminence, pitch, loftiness, sublimity, tallness, stature, procerity, prominence, colossus, giant, grenadier, giraffe, camelopard, mount, mountain, hill alto, butte, monticle, fell, knap, cape, headland, foreland, promontory, ridge, hog's back, dune, rising ground, vantage ground, down, moor, moorland, Alp, uplands, highlands, heights, knob, loma, pena, picacho, tump, knoll, hummock, hillock, barrow, mound, mole, steeps, bluff, cliff, craig, tor, peak, pike, clough, escarpment, edge, ledge, brae, dizzy height, tower, pillar, column, obelisk, monument, steeple, spire, minaret, campanile, turret, dome, cupola, skyscraper, pole, pikestaff, maypole, flagstaff, top mast, topgallant mast, ceiling, high water, high tide, flood tide, spring tide, altimetry, batophobia, satellite, spy-in-the-sky, high, elevated, eminent, exalted, lofty, tall, gigantic, Patagonian, towering, beetling, soaring, hanging (gardens), elevated, upper, highest, high reaching, insessorial, perching, upland, moorland, hilly, knobby, mountainous, alpine, subalpine, heaven kissing, cloudtopt, cloudcapt, cloudtouching, aerial, overhanging, incumbent, overlying, superincumbent, supernatant, superimposed, prominent, tall as a maypole, tall as a poplar, tall as a steeple, lanky, on high, high up, aloft, up, above, aloof, overhead, airwind, upstairs, abovestairs, in the clouds, on tiptoe, on stilts, on the shoulders of, over head and ears, breast high, over, upwards, from top to bottom, e meglio cader dalle finistre che dal tetto.

N  support, ground, foundation, base, basis, terra firma, bearing, fulcrum, bait, caudex crib, point d'appui, pou sto, purchase footing, hold, locus standi, landing place, landing stage, stage, platform, block, rest, resting place, groundwork, substratum, riprap, sustentation, subvention, floor, supporter, aid, prop, stand, anvil, fulciment, cue rest, jigger, monkey, stay, shore, skid, rib, truss, bandage, sleeper, stirrup, stilts, shoe, sole, heel, splint, lap, bar, rod, boom, sprit, outrigger, ratlings, staff, stick, crutch, alpenstock, baton, staddle, bourdon, cowlstaff, lathi, mahlstick, post, pillar, shaft, thill, column, pilaster, pediment, pedicle, pedestal, plinth, shank, leg, socle, zocle, buttress, jamb, mullion, abutment, baluster, banister, stanchion, balustrade, headstone, upright, door post, jamb, door jamb, frame, framework, scaffold, skeleton, beam, rafter, girder, lintel, joist, travis, trave, corner stone, summer, transom, rung, round, step, sill, angle rafter, hip rafter, cantilever, modillion, crown post, king post, vertebra, columella, backbone, keystone, axle, axletree, axis, arch, mainstay, trunnion, pivot, rowlock, peg, tiebeam, thole pin, board, ledge, shelf, hob, bracket, trevet, trivet, arbor, rack, mantel, mantle piece, mantleshelf, slab, console, counter, dresser, flange, corbel, table, trestle, shoulder, perch, horse, easel, desk, clotheshorse, hatrack, retable, teapoy, seat, throne, dais, divan, musnud, chair, bench, form, stool, sofa, settee, stall, arm chair, easy chair, elbow chair, rocking chair, couch, fauteuil, woolsack, ottoman, settle, squab, bench, aparejo, faldstool, horn, long chair, long sleeve chair, morris chair, lamba chauki, lamba kursi, saddle, pannel, pillion, side saddle, pack saddle, pommel, bed, berth, pallet, tester, crib, cot, hammock, shakedown, trucklebed, cradle, litter, stretcher, bedstead, four poster, French bed, bunk, kip, palang, bedding, bichhona, mattress, paillasse, pillow, bolster, mat, rug, cushion, footstool, hassock, tabouret, tripod, monopod, Atlas, Persides, Atlantes, Caryatides, Hercules, supporting, supported, fundamental, dorsigerous, astride on, straddle.

N  record, trace, vestige, relic, remains, scar, cicatrix, footstep, footmark, footprint, pug, track mark, wake, trail, scent, piste, monument, hatchment, slab, tablet, trophy, achievement, obelisk, pillar, column, monolith, memorial, memento, testimonial, medal, commemoration, record, note, minute, register, registry, roll, cartulary, diptych, Domesday book, catalogue raisonne, entry, memorandum, indorsement, inscription, copy, duplicate, docket, notch, muniment, deed, document, deposition, proces verbal, affidavit, certificate, notebook, memorandum book, memo book, pocketbook, commonplace book, portfolio, pigeonholes, excerpta, adversaria, jottings, dottings, gazette, gazetteer, newspaper, daily, magazine, almanac, almanack, calendar, ephemeris, diary, log, journal, daybook, ledger, cashbook, petty cashbook, professional journal, scientific literature, the literature, primary literature, secondary literature, article, review article, archive, scroll, state paper, return, blue book, statistics, compte rendu, Acts of, Transactions of, Proceedings of, Hansard's Debates, chronicle, annals, legend, history, biography, Congressional Records, registration, registry, enrollment, inrollment, tabulation, entry, booking, signature, recorder, journalism, recording, tape recording, videotape, compact disk, floppy disk, diskette, hard disk, Winchester disk, read-only memory, ROM, write once read mostly memory, WORM, on record, exegi monumentum aere perennium, read their history in a nation's eyes, records that defy the tooth of time.

from pillar to post, pillar box, pillar of islam, pillar of society, pillar of strength, water pillar