lantern
pronunciation
How to pronounce lantern in British English:
UK [ˈlæntən]
How to pronounce lantern in American English:
US [ˈlæntərn]
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- Noun:
- light in a transparent protective case
Word Origin
- lantern
- lantern: [13] Like lamp, lantern comes ultimately from the Greek verb lámbein ‘give light, shine’. Derived from this was the noun lamptér, which originally denoted ‘bunch of burning sticks, torch’, but was later extended to ‘lamp’. Latin borrowed it, and tacked on the ending of lucerna ‘lamp’ to produce lanterna, which English acquired via Old French lanterne. The translucent cover of lanterns was in former times usually made of horn, and so popular etymology from the 16th to the 19th centuries produced the spelling lanthorn.=> lamp
- lantern (n.)
- mid-13c., from Old French lanterne "lamp, lantern, light" (12c.), from Latin lanterna "lantern, lamp, torch," altered (by influence of Latin lucerna "lamp") from Greek lampter "torch," from lampein "to shine" (see lamp). Variant lanthorn (16c.-19c.) was folk etymology based on the common use of horn as a translucent cover. Lantern-jaws "hollow, long cheeks" is from a resemblance noted since at least mid-14c.
Synonym
Example
- 1. For the first , a paper lantern would do .
- 2. Alas , experience is a " lantern on the stern , which shines only on the waves behind us " .
- 3. Taking office after harding died suddenly in 1923 , coolidge was sworn in by his father , a notary , by the light of a kerosene lantern .
- 4. With the ring of light from his lantern dancing from side to side he lurched across the yard , kicked off his boots at the back door , drew himself a last glass of beer from the barrel in the scullery , and made his way up to bed , where mrs jones was already snoring .
- 5. She lit a pink lantern on the dashboard .