Chinese lantern

American  

noun

1. a collapsible lantern of thin, colored paper, often used for decorative lighting.

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Chinese lantern British  

noun

1. a collapsible lantern made of thin coloured paper

2. an Asian solanaceous plant, Physalis franchetii, cultivated for its attractive orange-red inflated calyx See also winter cherry

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Etymology

Origin of Chinese lantern

First recorded in 1815–25

Example Sentences

White poinsettias donned with colorful berries, Chinese lantern pods and bobbles may be all you need for an eye-catching display.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 13, 2023

Outside, the bar has an intricate, six-sided, 70-year-old neon Chinese lantern, one that appears in Orson Welles’s 1947 film “Lady from Shanghai.”

From New York Times • Mar. 11, 2019

A new light show, dubbed “Hurry Home,” tells the story of a Chinese lantern.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 20, 2017

The bullet struck a Chinese lantern near where the president was standing and passed within three feet of Grant’s head.

From Time • Jul. 20, 2015

Before they went to bed, Mo pulled back the curtains so they could see it—a brightly colored Chinese lantern among all the white stars.

From "Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke