Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for necklace. Search instead for Necklac.
Synonyms

necklace

American  
[nek-lis] / ˈnɛk lɪs /

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 British  
/ 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

"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

verb

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

"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

Etymology

Origin of necklace

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

Explanation

A necklace is jewelry you wear around your neck. You might decide your sparkly faux-diamond necklace is a bit dressy for your cousin's baseball game — but perfect for a fancy dinner out. A necklace can be a simple gold or silver chain, a length of beads or gems, or a pendant hanging from a cord. As long as it's worn around the neck, it's a necklace. The word, which dates from the late 1500s, combines neck with lace, meaning "cord," from the Old French laz, "string, cord, or snare." The Latin root, laqueum, means "noose or snare."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"I have no clue if it's something that I should be verbal about or completely hide," he said, wearing a Star of David necklace.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

On her necklace was a tiny pendant in the shape of a dove.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

On top of its rarity and quality, this Pikachu Illustrator card had been placed in a bejeweled case on a diamond necklace and was worn by Paul at WWE WrestleMania 38 in 2022.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2026

Paul included the diamond necklace he used to wear it during his WWE debut at WrestleMania 38 in 2022, which he hung around Scaramucci's neck.

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2026

“Easy for you to say,” grumbled Seven, looking at the bright aquamarine pendant that hung from the necklace Fox always wore.

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.