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

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

They call the new house the Lantern, she said, because “It’s always guiding you home.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026

The series will see the duo drawn into an Earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the Midwest while also navigating a changing of the Lantern guard.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

“This ring? It’s the greatest weapon in the universe,” Kyle Chandler’s veteran superhero says to John Stewart, the new Lantern recruit played by Aaron Pierre.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

AFP asked Adam Fisk, head of US-based nonprofit Lantern, which offers an advanced VPN, how his technology and similar apps can get around such heavy-handed blocking.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

“You know what they do in the Green Lantern, don’t you?” he asked.

From "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls

Related Words

• beacon
• flashlight
• kerosene lamp
• torch