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carcanet

[kahr-kuh-net, -nit]
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noun
  1. a woman's ornamental circlet for the hair, often of gold decorated with jewels or pearls.
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Origin of carcanet

1520–30; carcan choker < Middle French, equivalent to carc- throat (< Germanic) + -an ring (< Latin ānus) + -et
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

strand, jewelry, choker, pendant, string, pearls, locket, lavalliere, carcanet, riviere

Examples from the Web for carcanet

Historical Examples

  • Carcanet, the diminutive of carcan, a chain;—it means a necklace.

    The Eve of All-Hallows, Vol. 3 (of 3)

    Matthew Weld Hartstonge

  • Paragon of jewels enchased in a carcanet of dazzling brilliants!

  • But he must indeed have been in a hurry when, as would here seem, he confounded 'casket' and 'carcanet'.

  • On her dress was no ornament whatever, neither was there a ring on her hand, or a necklace or carcanet about her neck.

  • The editor was here obliged to omit a score of pages, in which the only thing worth preserving was a carcanet of sulphur springs.

    Mr. Jacobs

    Arlo Bates

British Dictionary definitions for carcanet

carcanet

noun
  1. archaic a jewelled collar or necklace
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Word Origin

C16: from French carcan, of Germanic origin; compare Old Norse kverkband chin strap
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012