necklace
Americannoun
noun
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a chain, band, or cord, often bearing beads, pearls, jewels, etc, worn around the neck as an ornament, esp by women
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(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
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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."
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.
The Taleju Necklace, dating back to the 17th century, is a case in point.
From BBC • Nov. 3, 2024
Celebrate all things fashion as well as New York designer Marc Jacobs’ 40th anniversary with this cute Tote Bag Necklace.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 14, 2024
Necklace beading tutorials, a practice once reserved for summer camps and crafting classes, have become popular on TikTok.
From New York Times • Apr. 14, 2022
Boma Mountain Pendant Necklace: The mountain is always out on this hypoallergenic sterling silver mountain peak pendant designed in Seattle and handcrafted from recycled metals.
From Seattle Times • Nov. 12, 2021
Thus Maupassant, in "The Necklace," does not attempt to make the story an unbroken chronological progression.
From The Technique of Fiction Writing by Dowst, Robert Saunders
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.
