Dictionary

candlelight en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈkæn.dl̩ˌlaɪt/

Etymology

From Middle English candel lyght, candyllyght, candyll-lyȝht, candel liȝt, candle lyȝt, candeliȝt, candel-liht, from Old English candel lēoht (“candlelight”), equivalent to candle + light.

Meanings

1. (uncountable, usually) The light emitted by a candle.
   • I looked across the table into her shining eyes, which were golden in the candlelight, with my fingers round the stem of my own glass, ready for the toast. 1912, Cecil Barber, “Standchen”, in The Living Age, volume 275, page 426:
   • Using survey data gathered from social media users who participated in the candlelight vigils, he explores the prevalence of social media use during the protests, how it differs in terms of individual-level demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, […] 2021, JongHwa Lee, Chuyun Oh, Yong-Chan Kim, The Candlelight Movement, Democracy, and Communication in Korea, page 1969:
   • Cradled in the arms of Night, the gleam of moon and candlelight bring images alive from days gone by. 2013, Will Moody, Candlelight Reflections, page 65:
2. (archaic, uncountable, usually) The evening, when darkness falls and it is time to light candles.
   • As Marie glances at the window, she sees that the day has gone; it is almost candlelight. 2017, Elaine Stienon, Children of a Northern Kingdom:
   • The attack finally ceased Monday morning, but "soon after candlelight, came on a most terrible bombardment and cannonade, on both sides, as if heaven and earth were engaged." 2005, Jacqueline Barbara Carr, After the Siege: A Social History of Boston 1775-1800, page 35:
   • Morning dress is that which is worn during business hours or at any time in any place, where semiformal dress is not required until candlelight or seven o'clock in the evening . 1896, Walter Germain, The Complete Bachelor: Manners for Men, page 10:

Forms

Deriveds

candlelight vigil · candlelight dinner

Relateds

candlelit

Translations (16)

af kerslig (the light of a candle) · ru свет от свечи́ (the light of a candle) · de Kerzenschein (the light of a candle) · ko 촛불 (the light of a candle) · id cahaya lilin (the light of a candle) · pdt Taulchlicht (the light of a candle) · is kertaljós (the light of a candle) · vo kandelalit (the light of a candle) · tr mum ışığı (the light of a candle) · nci tlāhuīlli (the light of a candle) · fi kynttilänvalo (the light of a candle) · de Kerzenlicht (the light of a candle) · ru свет горящей свечи (the light of a candle) · sv ljussken (the light of a candle) · cmn 燭光 /烛光 (the light of a candle) · nl kaarslicht (the light of a candle)