candle

American  

[kan-dl] / ˈkæn dl /

noun

1. a long, usually slender piece of tallow or wax with an embedded wick that is burned to give light.

2. something resembling a candle in appearance or use.

3. Optics.

   1. (formerly) candela.

   2. Also called international candle.  a unit of luminous intensity, defined as a fraction of the luminous intensity of a group of 45 carbon-filament lamps: used from 1909 to 1948 as the international standard.

   3. a unit of luminous intensity, equal to the luminous intensity of a wax candle of standard specifications: used prior to 1909 as the international standard. c., c

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verb (used with object)

candled, candling

1. to examine (eggs) for freshness, fertility, etc., by holding them up to a bright light.

2. to hold (a bottle of wine) in front of a lighted candle while decanting so as to detect sediment and prevent its being poured off with the wine.

idioms

1. hold a candle to, to compare favorably with (usually used in the negative).

   She's smart, but she can't hold a candle to her sister.

2. burn the / one's candle at both ends. burn.

3. worth the candle, worth the trouble or effort involved (usually used in the negative).

   Trying to win them over to your viewpoint is not worth the candle.

candle British  

/ ˈkændəl /

noun

1. a cylindrical piece of wax, tallow, or other fatty substance surrounding a wick, which is burned to produce light

2. physics

   1. See international candle

   2. another name for candela

3. to exhaust oneself, esp by being up late and getting up early to work

4. informal to be inferior or contemptible in comparison with

   your dog doesn't hold a candle to mine

5. informal not worth the price or trouble entailed (esp in the phrase the game's not worth the candle )

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verb

1. (tr) to examine (eggs) for freshness or the likelihood of being hatched by viewing them against a bright light

candle More Idioms  

1. see burn the candle at both ends; game is not worth the candle; hold a candle to.

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Other Word Forms

• candler
  noun
• uncandled
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of candle

First recorded before 900; Middle English candel, candle, condel, Old English candel, condel, from Latin candēla, equivalent to cand(ēre) “to shine, gleam white” + -ēla noun suffix; see candid

Example Sentences

The maker of Yankee Candle and Sharpie on Monday said the cuts will have a limited effect on its manufacturing and supply chain operations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 1, 2025

Newell Brands sank 29% after the maker of Sharpie pens and Yankee Candle reported third-quarter sales that missed Wall Street expectations and the company slashed its full-year outlook External link for earnings and sales.

From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025

The Mewstone Candle Company said it would be closed while it cleaned up the damage caused to the shop.

From BBC • Aug. 29, 2025

Bets are out as to whether or not Elton John's "Candle in the Wind," an adapted version of which was performed at Princess Diana's funeral on September 6, 1997, will be included.

From Salon • Mar. 7, 2025

“It’s a castle with a moat around it,” said Michael J. Kittredge, a fifty-three-year-old entrepreneur who realized a fortune when he sold his Yankee Candle Company in 1998 for about $500 million.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times

Related Words

• torch