American Scientist

At events such as presidential candidate debates, professional society meetings, and academic convocation ceremonies, speakers typically stand behind pieces of furniture known as lecterns, which are often placed upon elevated platforms known as podiums. Or is the podium the piece of furniture that the speaker stands behind? According to Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, the term podium can be used to refer either to a raised platform or to a stand with a slanted shelf. And it is often used in this latter sense, as evidenced in many a newspaper story, photo caption, and everyday conversation. During the recent U.S. presidential primary campaign, for example, the satirical news source The Onion ran a story headlined “Bernie Sanders Refuses Flashy ABC Podium in Favor of Own Humble, Homemade Lectern.” On another occasion, a television reporter signaled that a campaign rally was about to begin by stating that the candidate’s speech had just been placed upon the podium.