Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun An elevated platform, as for an orchestra conductor or public speaker.
  • noun A stand for holding the notes of a public speaker; a lectern.
  • noun A low wall serving as a foundation.
  • noun A wall circling the arena of an ancient amphitheater.
  • noun Biology A structure resembling or functioning as a foot.
  • intransitive verb To complete a competition, especially a race, as one of the top three contestants, usually being honored while standing on a podium.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun In echinoderms, one of the tube-feet.
  • noun In architecture, a continuous pedestal; a stylobate; also, a raised platform which surrounded the arena of the ancient amphitheater, upon which sat persons of distinction, or a bench surrounding a room.
  • noun In zoology and anatomy, the foot; the pes: usually applied in ornithology to the toes collectively, without the shank of the foot.
  • noun In conchology, the foot of a mollusk.
  • noun In botany: A footstalk, stipe, or the like.
  • noun A joint, internode, or independent unit in the growth of the axis of a plant.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Arch.) A low wall, serving as a foundation, a substructure, or a terrace wall.
  • noun The dwarf wall surrounding the arena of an amphitheater, from the top of which the seats began.
  • noun The masonry under the stylobate of a temple, sometimes a mere foundation, sometimes containing chambers.
  • noun (Zoöl.) The foot.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A platform on which to stand, as when conducting an orchestra or preaching at a pulpit.
  • noun proscribed A stand used to hold notes when speaking publicly.
  • noun A steepled platform upon which the three competitors with the best results may stand when being handed their medals or prize.
  • noun sports A result amongst the best three at a competition.
  • noun A low wall, serving as a foundation, a substructure, or a terrace wall.
  • verb sports, proscribed To finish in the top three at an event or competition.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a platform raised above the surrounding level to give prominence to the person on it

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Latin, from Greek podion, base, diminutive of pous, pod-, foot; see ped- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Latin podium, from Ancient Greek πόδιον ("base"), from diminutive of πούς ("foot").

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Examples

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  • in cycling, it's podium position, or first place

    January 12, 2013