BEACON definition: 1. a light or fire in a place that is easy to see, such as on the top of a hill, that acts as a. Learn more.

The meaning of BEACON is a lighthouse or other signal for guidance. How to use beacon in a sentence.

An electronic device that broadcasts a signal to nearby portable devices, enabling smartphones etc. to perform actions when in physical proximity to the beacon.

Understanding the Context

Definition of beacon noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

A source of guidance or inspiration: a beacon of hope. To provide with or signal as a beacon. [Middle English beken, from Old English bacen; see bh- in Indo-European roots.] American Heritage.

BEACON meaning: 1 : a strong light that can be seen from far away and that is used to help guide ships, airplanes, etc.; 2 : a radio signal that is broadcast to help guide ships, airplanes, etc.

There are 12 meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun beacon, three of which are labelled obsolete. See Meaning & use for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Key Insights

It might have been an airport beacon back on Earth, and he stared at it with a tightening of the throat. Soon they may be virtually invisible except for a discreet beacon. Like a lighthouse beacon, this.

Naval Terms See radio beacon. Nautical a radar device at a fixed location that, upon receiving a radar pulse, transmits a reply pulse that enables the original sender to determine his or her position relative.

A beacon is a light or a fire, usually on a hill or tower, which acts as a signal or a warning.