girandole

American  

[jir-uhn-dohl] / ˈdʒɪr ənˌdoʊl /

Also girandola

noun

1. a rotating and radiating firework.

2. an ornate bracket for candelabra or the like, sometimes with a reflecting mirror at the back of the shelf.

3. a brooch or earring consisting of a central ornament with usually three smaller ornaments hanging from it.

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girandole British  

/ ˈdʒɪrənˌdəʊl, dʒɪˈrændələ /

noun

1. an ornamental branched wall candleholder, usually incorporating a mirror

2. an earring or pendant having a central gem surrounded by smaller ones

3. a kind of revolving firework

4. artillery a group of connected mines

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Etymology

Origin of girandole

First recorded in 1625–35; from French, from Italian girandola, derivative of girare “to turn in a circle, revolve,” from Late Latin gȳrāre, derivative of gȳrus “circular track (for horses), ring, circle,” from Greek gŷros

Example Sentences

To the left is a girandole from 1730 made from Murano glass.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 3, 2015

Underneath the girandole are two of my books: my latest, Diving for Pearls, and Sisters, Saints and Sibyls, which is very rare.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 3, 2015

Over the heavy and massive sideboard is a long gilt mirror of the Empire "banister" type; between the two side windows is a gilt, convex girandole with three branching candlesticks on each side.

From Remodeled Farmhouses by Northend, Mary H.

They were the only tenants of the room, which was small, cedar-panelled and lighted by a girandole of sparkling crystal.

From The Snare by Sabatini, Rafael

The 30th, it began to flow again in the same direction, whilst the mouth of the Volcano threw up every minute a girandole of red hot stones, to an immense height.

From Observations on Mount Vesuvius, Mount Etna, and Other Volcanos by Hamilton, William