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

Example Sentences

“It’s the wood, it’s the bar, the backstage chairs, the little lanterns,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times

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

“We’re not going to hang a lantern on exactly what he’s feeling here,” Fuller said.

From Los Angeles Times

Two Americans were standing there with a lantern.

From Literature

At night by lantern light, he read Churchill’s six-volume history of World War II.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• beacon
• flashlight
• kerosene lamp
• torch