pedestal

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
pedestal/ˈpedɪstl/

▶noun

• 1 the base or support on which a statue, obelisk, or column is mounted.

  ■ a position in which someone is greatly or uncritically admired: you shouldn't put him on a pedestal.

• 2 each of the two supports of a kneehole desk or table.

• 3 the supporting column or base of a washbasin or toilet pan.

– origin C16: from Fr. piédestal, from Ital. piedestallo, from piè ‘foot’ + di ‘of’ + stallo ‘stall’.