lantern
/ˈlæ̝ntɚn/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.61 in modern English
7
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A case of translucent or transparent material made to protect a flame, or light, used to illuminate its surroundings.
noun
Especially, a metal casing with lens used to illuminate a stage (e.g. spotlight, floodlight).
noun
A cage or open chamber of rich architecture, open below into the building or tower which it crowns.
noun
A lantern pinion or trundle wheel.
noun
A kind of cage inserted in a stuffing box and surrounding a piston rod, to separate the packing into two parts and form a chamber between for the reception of steam, etc.; a lantern brass.
Example Sentences
- "On such an afternoon, if ever, the Lord High Chancellor ought to be sitting here—as here he is—with a foggy glory round his head, softly fenced in with crimson cloth and curtains, addressed by a large advocate with great whiskers, a little voice, and an interminable brief, and outwardly directing his contemplation to the lantern in the roof, where he can see nothing but fog."
- "The station also boasts a large semi-domed French pavilion roof with fish-scale tiles and iron cresting, plus a rectangular hall with arcaded upper storey and wooden lantern."
- "the lantern of the cupola of the Capitol at Washington, or that of the Florence cathedral"
- "to lantern a lighthouse"
- "A youngish looking man came up to him, and aggressive-looking type with a hook mouth, a lantern nose, and small beady little cheekbones."
Etymology
From Middle English lanterne (13th century), via Old French lanterne from Latin lanterna (“lantern”), itself a corruption of Ancient Greek λαμπτήρ (lamptḗr, “torch”) (see lamp, λάμπω (lámpō)) by influence of Latin lucerna (“lamp”). The spelling lanthorn was current during the 16th to 19th centuries and originates with a folk etymology associating the word with the use of horn as translucent cover. For the verb, compare French lanterner to hang at the lamppost. Displaced native Old English lēohtfæt (literally “light-container”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: lanterne, lanterna, λαμπτήρ, lucerna
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈlæ̝ntɚn/
- British English: /ˈlæntən/