pendant

American  

[pen-duhnt] / ˈpɛn dənt /

noun

• pendants
  plural

1. a hanging ornament, as an earring or the main piece suspended from a necklace.

2. an ornament suspended from a roof, vault, or ceiling.

3. a hanging electrical lighting fixture; chandelier.

4. that by which something is suspended, as the ringed stem of a watch.

5. a match, parallel, companion, or counterpart.

6. Nautical. Also a length of rope attached to a masthead, the end of a yardarm, etc., and having a block or thimble secured to its free end.

---

adjective

1. pendent.

pendant British  

/ ˈpɛndənt /

noun

1. 1. an ornament that hangs from a piece of jewellery

   2. a necklace with such an ornament

2. a hanging light, esp a chandelier

3. a carved ornament that is suspended from a ceiling or roof

4. something that matches or complements something else

5. Also called: pennant. nautical a length of wire or rope secured at one end to a mast or spar and having a block or other fitting at the lower end

---

adjective

1. a variant spelling of pendent

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonpendant
  adjective
• pendanted
  adjective
• pendantlike
  adjective
• unpendant
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• pendants
  plural

---

Etymology

Origin of pendant

1300–50; Middle English pendaunt < Anglo-French; Middle French pendant, noun use of present participle of pendre to hang < Vulgar Latin *pendere for Latin pendēre. See pend, -ant

---

Explanation

If you’re wearing a necklace with a large gold heart on a delicate chain, then you have a pendant, an ornament that hangs on a chain. The word pendant traces back to the Latin word, pendere, meaning "to hang," which tips you off that pendant is a word describing something that hangs, like an ornament that hangs on a chain or a type of light that hangs from the ceiling. As an adjective, pendant means "held from above," like the pendant rock formations that hang from the cave's ceiling.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

pendant pendants

The portrait features an Indian woman in a formal pose, wearing a string of pearls, a large emerald pendant and a nose ring.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

The Financial Times previously reported some details of the new Meta glasses feature and The Information earlier reported on the company’s work on a potential AI pendant.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

The top lifts off and converts into a pendant.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026

It is unclear if the pendant, bought from Shetland Jewellery and valued at more then £400, is already in the possession of the police.

From BBC ● Jun. 1, 2026

I pull the pendant Lita gave me out of my pant pocket and clutch it in my hand.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

She transforms a rainbow of blossoms into hair adornments, earrings, necklace pendants and rings, treating her homegrown organic materials like precious gems.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026

The museum also confirmed it lost a bust, brooches, a perfume bottle, two bracelets, comb, hatpin, belt buckle and several necklaces and pendants.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026

Luo admitted that the plush pendants had little practical use.

From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026

"We recovered two pendants: one made from a shell and another from a brown bear tooth," said Tornero.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 3, 2026

As they transformed, three matching necklaces appeared around their necks, glowing red pendants hanging from each.

From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---

Related Words

• dangling
• hanging
• overhanging
• pendent
• pendulous
• pensile

---