candle

American  

[kan-dl] / ˈkæn dl /

noun

1. a long, usually slender piece of tallow or wax with an embedded wick that is burned to give light.

2. something resembling a candle in appearance or use.

3. Optics.

   1. (formerly) candela.

   2. Also called international candle.  a unit of luminous intensity, defined as a fraction of the luminous intensity of a group of 45 carbon-filament lamps: used from 1909 to 1948 as the international standard.

   3. a unit of luminous intensity, equal to the luminous intensity of a wax candle of standard specifications: used prior to 1909 as the international standard. c., c

---

verb (used with object)

candled, candling

1. to examine (eggs) for freshness, fertility, etc., by holding them up to a bright light.

2. to hold (a bottle of wine) in front of a lighted candle while decanting so as to detect sediment and prevent its being poured off with the wine.

idioms

1. hold a candle to, to compare favorably with (usually used in the negative).

   She's smart, but she can't hold a candle to her sister.

2. burn the / one's candle at both ends. burn.

3. worth the candle, worth the trouble or effort involved (usually used in the negative).

   Trying to win them over to your viewpoint is not worth the candle.

candle British  

/ ˈkændəl /

noun

1. a cylindrical piece of wax, tallow, or other fatty substance surrounding a wick, which is burned to produce light

2. physics

   1. See international candle

   2. another name for candela

3. to exhaust oneself, esp by being up late and getting up early to work

4. informal to be inferior or contemptible in comparison with

   your dog doesn't hold a candle to mine

5. informal not worth the price or trouble entailed (esp in the phrase the game's not worth the candle )

---

verb

1. (tr) to examine (eggs) for freshness or the likelihood of being hatched by viewing them against a bright light

candle More Idioms  

1. see burn the candle at both ends; game is not worth the candle; hold a candle to.

---

Other Word Forms

• candler
  noun
• uncandled
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of candle

First recorded before 900; Middle English candel, candle, condel, Old English candel, condel, from Latin candēla, equivalent to cand(ēre) “to shine, gleam white” + -ēla noun suffix; see candid

Example Sentences

Kludjian is founder of the Los Angeles candle company Whiff and came to the event to network.

From Los Angeles Times • May 19, 2026

At that time, a doji candle formed near all-time highs on Feb. 10, preceding a decline of roughly 5,000 points over the following seven weeks.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

There’s a candle in the room where his father was found.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026

Goldman celebrated his 67th birthday in the unit, with cake and an unlit candle delivered by his medical team, who also sang Happy Birthday to him on video.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

That one had disappeared without him lighting a candle.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Related Words

• torch