noun

silo

SEYE-loh

Silo (noun) means a tall tower or pit used to store grain, animal feed, or other bulk material. Example: “The farm's grain silo towered over the barn.”

noun

A tall tower or pit used to store grain, animal feed, or other bulk material.

"The farm's grain silo towered over the barn."

An underground structure used to store and launch missiles.

"The old missile silo had been converted into a private bunker."

A department or group that works in isolation, without sharing information with others.

"Marketing and sales operated in separate silos, which slowed everything down."

verb

To keep something isolated and separate from related things or people.

"The new policy siloed customer data away from the support team who needed it."

How to use silo

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA storage tower (for grain or missiles), or, more loosely, a team or system that is cut off from others.

Common pairings

grain silo missile silo work in silos break down silos

Word forms

siloed past tense, silos plural, siloes plural, siloes singular, silos singular

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The farm's grain _____ towered over the barn.

Etymology

Borrowed from Spanish silo, of uncertain earlier origin.

Origin: Spanish

Rhymes for silo

lilo milo Philo

See all rhymes for silo →

Frequently asked questions

What does “silo” mean?

The word “silo” means a tall tower or pit used to store grain, animal feed, or other bulk material. In plain terms, a storage tower (for grain or missiles), or, more loosely, a team or system that is cut off from others.

How do you pronounce “silo”?

“Silo” is pronounced SEYE-loh (/ˈsaɪloʊ/ in IPA).

How do you use “silo” in a sentence?

Here is “silo” used in a sentence: “The farm's grain silo towered over the barn.”

What part of speech is “silo”?

Depending on how it is used, “silo” can be a noun and a verb.

Where does the word “silo” come from?

The word “silo” comes from Spanish. Borrowed from Spanish silo, of uncertain earlier origin.

How many meanings does “silo” have?

“Silo” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a tall tower or pit used to store grain, animal feed, or other bulk material.