lantern

American  

[lan-tern] / ˈlæn tərn /

noun

• lanterns
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• lanterns
  plural

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

See Examples For:

lantern lanterns

New Bell may appear to be endlessly bleak, but according to Happi, music provides the inmates with a "lantern for a brighter future".

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

Diogenes the Cynic famously carried a lantern searching for an honest man.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 2, 2026

Citrus lingers — oranges, grapefruit, tangerines — holding onto the last of their brightness like a lantern carried through fog.

From Salon ● Mar. 1, 2026

Held mid-December each year, the festival acts as a platform to highlight the region's famed lantern industry, which first started more than 100 years ago.

From Barron's ● Dec. 19, 2025

I picked up their lantern and smothered the flame.

From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros

In the wholesale markets of Yiwu, the Chinese city known for supplying the world with inexpensive goods, buyers can find prayer rugs, Quran stands, modest clothing, Ramadan lanterns and crescent-shaped decorations.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 12, 2026

A canopy of candy-colored paper lanterns and twinkling lights hangs over a long dining table opposite the restaurant.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026

A wood stove heated our home, and we had kerosene lanterns at the ready in case of a power outage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 19, 2026

Giant red lanterns adorned the outdoor courtyard, and the guests inside treated themselves to food stalls akin to a Taiwanese night market.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 24, 2026

What had been little more than stacks of rough stone moments before is now set and carved into ornate arches and pathways, covered in crawling vines and speckled with bright, tiny lanterns.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

Related Words

• beacon
• flashlight
• kerosene lamp
• torch