necklace

[nek-lis]

noun

1. a piece of jewelry consisting of a string of stones, beads, jewels, or the like, or a chain of gold, silver, or other metal, for wearing around the neck.

necklace

/ ˈnɛklɪs /

noun

1. a chain, band, or cord, often bearing beads, pearls, jewels, etc, worn around the neck as an ornament, esp by women

2. (in South Africa) a tyre soaked in petrol, placed round a person's neck, and set on fire in order to burn the person to death

verb

1. (tr) to kill (someone) by placing a burning tyre round his or her neck

Word History and Origins

Origin of necklace¹

1580–90; neck + lace (in the sense “a cord or string to pull opposite ends together”)

Example Sentences

An unreleased novel from Swiss author Nelio Biedermann sits next to a cup of tea, and a wood cross string necklace lies on the floor.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Woo turns to us, clutching the dashiki to his chest like a pearl necklace.

Read more on Literature

The move allowed them to quickly reach an upper gallery and steal a host of jewels, including an emerald necklace that Napoleon gave to his second wife.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

I saw a lady wearing a necklace that had a silver pencil shaped like Cleopatra’s Needle.

Read more on Literature

The museum's Bronze age collection includes gold ingots, bracelets, and a lunula necklace.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• choker 
• jewelry 
• pendant 
• strand