beacon

 
Pronunciation: /ˈbiːk(ə)n/

noun

  • a fire or light set up in a high or prominent position as a warning, signal, or celebration: a chain of beacons carried the news her red hair was like a beacon in the night figurative the prospect of a new government was a beacon of hope for millions
  • [often in place names] British a hill suitable for a beacon: Ivinghoe Beacon
  • a light or other visible object serving as a signal, warning, or guide at sea, on an airfield, etc..
  • a radio transmitter whose signal helps to fix the position of a ship, aircraft, or spacecraft.

Origin:

Old English bēacn 'sign, portent, ensign', of West Germanic origin; related to beckon