Podium vs Lectern
Published January 25, 2023. Updated January 25, 2023.
Podium and Lectern are nouns that are similar, but there is a slight distinction between the two. Podium is a noun meaning a platform for a person to stand on to been seen by an audience. Lectern is a noun meaning a stand for holding a book or papers for a speaker. A speaker would climb onto a podium to read their speech from a lectern. However, despite the technical definitions, podium can be used in place of lectern.
Here are some definitions and examples to help clarify the meaning of these words.
Podium (noun)
A platform for a person to stand on to been seen by an audience.
Examples:
The valedictorian climbed onto the podium to give a speech.
The Olympic gold medalist stood on the highest part of the podium.
In both examples, podium is used to mean a platform for a person to stand on to be seen by an audience.
Lectern (noun)
A stand for holding a speaker’s book or papers.
Examples:
The president of the university stood behind a massive lectern on the podium.
The lectern held the keynote speaker’s notes.
In both examples, lectern is used to mean a stand for holding a speaker’s book or papers.
Main Points
- Podium is a noun meaning a platform for a person to stand on to been seen by an audience.
- Lectern is a noun meaning a stand for holding a book or papers for a speaker.
- Podium can be used in place of lectern.