luminaria

[ loo-muh-nair-ee-uh; Spanish loo-mee-nah-ryah ]

noun

, plural lu·mi·nar·i·as [loo-m, uh, -, nair, -ee-, uh, z, loo-mee-, nah, -, r, yahs].

1. (especially in Mexico and the southwestern U.S.) a Christmas lantern consisting of a lighted candle set in sand inside a paper bag.

Word History and Origins

Origin of luminaria¹

1945–50; < Mexican Spanish, Spanish: any lamp or lantern displayed during a festival < Medieval Latin, Late Latin lūmināria, originally neuter plural of lūmināris lamp; lumen, -ar ¹

Example Sentences

Sometimes a weak moon-ray passing down the luminaria would strike at the bottom on a slab of marble covered with inscriptions.

From Project Gutenberg