lantern

American  

[lan-tern] / ˈlæn tərn /

noun

1. a transparent or translucent, usually portable, case for enclosing a light and protecting it from the wind, rain, etc.

2. the chamber at the top of a lighthouse, surrounding the light.

3. magic lantern.

4. Architecture.

   1. a tall, more or less open construction admitting light to an enclosed area below.

   2. any light, decorative structure of relatively small size crowning a roof, dome, etc.

   3. an open-sided structure on a roof to let out smoke or to assist ventilation.

5. a light, usually over the entrance to an elevator on each floor of a multistory building, that signals the approach of the elevator.

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lantern British  

/ ˈlæntən /

noun

1. a light with a transparent or translucent protective case

2. a structure on top of a dome or roof having openings or windows to admit light or air

3. the upper part of a lighthouse that houses the light

4. photog short for magic lantern

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Etymology

Origin of lantern

1250–1300; Middle English lanterne < Latin lanterna (< Etruscan ) < Greek lamptḗr lamp, light

Explanation

A lantern is an old-fashioned hand-held light, like the kind you might go looking for ghosts with. There are also modern ones — a lantern is any hand-held light with a see-through case. No ghosts necessary. Some lanterns have an actual flame inside, but others are battery operated, like flashlights, but lanterns usually provide more light. There are also paper lanterns, which are fun for parties, and if you use a pumpkin you have yourself a jack o’ lantern. Lantern comes from the Latin lanterna, "lantern, lamp, or torch," and shares the Greek root lampein, "to shine," with the English word lamp.

Example Sentences

They call the new house the Lantern, she said, because “It’s always guiding you home.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

“Lanterns” also features Kelly Macdonald as a local no-nonsense sheriff with ties to the community, as well as Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, a Green Lantern introduced in “Superman.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

AFP asked Adam Fisk, head of US-based nonprofit Lantern, which offers an advanced VPN, how his technology and similar apps can get around such heavy-handed blocking.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

Morrison, the writer of a Green Lantern comics series from 2018 to 2021, then addressed the situation in a Sunday Substack post calling Lindelof out directly and questioning why he even took the “Lanterns” job.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 17, 2026

Everyone could appreciate that he had stopped going to the Red Lantern.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende

Related Words

• beacon
• flashlight
• kerosene lamp
• torch