# beacon

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈbiːkən/ · frequency rank #10,497

## Definitions
1. A signal fire to notify of the approach of an enemy, or to give any notice, commonly of warning.
2. A signal, buoy, post, or other conspicuous mark erected on an eminence near the shore, or moored in shoal water, as a guide to mariners, particularly to warn vessels of danger.
3. A high hill or other easily distinguishable object near the shore which can serve as guidance for seafarers.
4. That which gives notice of danger, hope, etc., or keeps people on the correct path; a source of inspiration.
5. An electronic device that broadcasts a signal to nearby portable devices, enabling smartphones etc. to perform actions when in physical proximity to the beacon.
6. Ellipsis of web beacon.

## Etymology
From Middle English beken, from Old English bēacn (“sign, signal”), from Proto-West Germanic *baukn, from Proto-Germanic *baukną, from Proto-Indo-European *bʰeh₂u-, *bʰeh₂- (“to shine”).
Doublet of buoy. Compare West Frisian beaken (“buoy”), Dutch baken (“beacon”), Middle Low German bāke (“beacon, sign”), German Bake (“traffic sign”), Middle High German bouchen (“sign”).

## Easily confused with
- **bean** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beacon-vs-bean)
- **beaten** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beacon-vs-beaten)
- **Benson** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beacon-vs-benson)
- **Benton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beacon-vs-benton)
- **Brecon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beacon-vs-brecon)
- **Beaton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beacon-vs-beaton)
- **beacons** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beacon-vs-beacons)
- **beach** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/beach-vs-beacon)
- **bacon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/bacon-vs-beacon)
- **baron** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baron-vs-beacon)
- **baton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/baton-vs-beacon)

## Common misspellings (8)
`baecon`, `bbeacon`, `beaccon`, `beacno`, `beaconn`, `beaocn`, `becaon`, `ebacon`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/beacon