chandelier
/ˌʃæn.dəˈlɪɚ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.19 in modern English
16
Scrabble Score
10
Letters
3
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An endoilluminator used in eye surgery.
Example Sentences
- "She opened the drawing-room door in trepidation. Would she find Esther drowned with her head in the goldfish bowl, or hanged from the chandelier by her stay-lace?"
- "2007, Frank Pope, "Dragon Sea: a true tale of treasure, archeology, and greed off the coast of Vietnam", Harcourt Books, p. 306. A mysterious phone bidder was grabbing the pieces that no one else wanted—Mensun suspected this was the auction house "bidding against the chandelier," protecting itself against selling too low."
- "The bids are usually real but can be fake or ‘chandelier’ bids (non-existing bids taken ‘off the chandelier’) on behalf of the consignor, or bids left with the auctioneer in advance."
- "Chandelier. A wooden frame, whereon are laid fascines or faggots, to cover the workmen in making approaches."
- "Europeans solved this problem by building a temporary fence with tightly bound sticks ("fascines") stacked into wooden frames ("chandeliers")."
Etymology
Borrowed from French chandelier, from Latin candelabrum, from candela (“a candle”). Doublet of candelabrum. See also candle.
Origin
- Source language: French
Word Breakdown
- Root: *(s)kend-, chandelier
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˌʃæn.dəˈlɪɚ/
- British English: /ˌʃæn.dəˈlɪə(ɹ)/
Usage
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
chandelier bid
chandelier bidding
chandelier earring
chandelier exit
chandelier plant
chandelier stop
not the brightest bulb in the chandelier