necklace
Americannoun
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necklaces
plural
noun
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a chain, band, or cord, often bearing beads, pearls, jewels, etc, worn around the neck as an ornament, esp by women
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(in South Africa) a tyre soaked in petrol, placed round a person's neck, and set on fire in order to burn the person to death
verb
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of necklace
1580–90; neck + lace (in the sense “a cord or string to pull opposite ends together”)
Explanation
A necklace is jewelry you wear around your neck. You might decide your sparkly faux-diamond necklace is a bit dressy for your cousin's baseball game — but perfect for a fancy dinner out. A necklace can be a simple gold or silver chain, a length of beads or gems, or a pendant hanging from a cord. As long as it's worn around the neck, it's a necklace. The word, which dates from the late 1500s, combines neck with lace, meaning "cord," from the Old French laz, "string, cord, or snare." The Latin root, laqueum, means "noose or snare."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The necklace, which was designed for the former Egyptian royal family, was part of an exhibition on the jewellers Van Cleef & Arpels, due to run at MAK until September.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
The diamonds on the necklace weigh in excess of 200 carats.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
Another, from Ripon Cathedral, is the sole portrait without a monogrammed necklace.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 22, 2026
It touted the spoils of fraud seized from defendants, including an $865,000 Bulgari necklace and a Ferrari 296 GTS valued at nearly $600,000.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
But I clutch at my necklace, and I see Teresita gripping the little plaster statue of Yemayá.
From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar
What’s one more charm on one of several necklaces already heavy with lockets and hearts?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026
Partygoers seemed more enthused about the vendor selling beaded plushie necklaces than about heading to the dance floor.
From Slate ● Jun. 25, 2026
Observations show the people use narrow outrigger canoes, live in large communal huts, carry spears, bows and arrows, and wear fibre waistbelts, as well as necklaces and headbands.
From Barron's ● May 18, 2026
Fast-forward to the 17th century, pretzels became commonplace in Germany, where necklaces adorned with the baked goods were worn by children on New Year’s Day to usher in good luck.
From Salon ● Apr. 28, 2026
It looked like she was weaving necklaces and bracelets out of weeds.
From "The Night Diary" by Veera Hiranandani
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
