Dictionary

lantern en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈlæntən/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈlɛə̯ntɚn/ æ-raising
• /ˈlæ̝ntɚn/ (General-American) without æ-raising
• (US) audio
• /ˈleə̯ntɚn/ æ-raising

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”).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Of a facial feature, large and squarish in shape as an old-fashioned lantern.
   • A youngish looking man came up to him, and aggressive-looking type with a hook mouth, a lantern nose, and small beady little cheekbones. 1982, Douglas Adams, Life, the Universe and Everything, page 113:

Forms

Relateds

torch · lamp

lantern en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈlæntən/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈlɛə̯ntɚn/ æ-raising
• /ˈlæ̝ntɚn/ (General-American) without æ-raising
• (US) audio
• /ˈleə̯ntɚn/ æ-raising

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”).

Meanings

1. A case of translucent or transparent material made to protect a flame, or light, used to illuminate its surroundings.
2. Especially, a metal casing with lens used to illuminate a stage (e.g. spotlight, floodlight).
3. An open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give light and air to the interior.
   • 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. 1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, chapter 1, in Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC:
   • 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. 2022 January 12, Paul Bigland, “Fab Four: the nation's finest stations: Eastbourne”, in RAIL, number 948, page 27:
4. A cage or open chamber of rich architecture, open below into the building or tower which it crowns.
5. A smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one, for ornament, or to admit light.
   • the lantern of the cupola of the Capitol at Washington, or that of the Florence cathedral
6. A lantern pinion or trundle wheel.
7. (qualifier:steam engines) 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.
8. A light formerly used as a signal by a railway guard or conductor at night.
9. A perforated barrel to form a core upon.
10. Aristotle's lantern

Forms

Deriveds

storm lantern · Chinese lantern · lantern shark · lantern jaw · lanternfly · lantern fish · lantern sleeve · blind lantern · lantern berry · magic lantern · friar's lantern · fairy lantern · jack-o-lantern · dark-lantern · lantern shield · lantern of the dead · magic lantern show · Lantern Festival · lanternfish · lantern wheel · jack-o'-lantern · lantern beetle · lanternlight · lanternlike · lantern gear · idiot's lantern · lanternist · lantern jawed · crab lantern · hurricane lantern · hobby lantern · grave lantern · lantern-jawed · dark lantern · death lantern · Japanese lantern · lantern roof · peg-a-lantern · neep lantern · jack-a-lantern · Fresnel lantern · lantern tower · Jack-with-a-lantern · lanternless · lantern slide · lanternflower · parish lantern · lanternshark · sky lantern

Descendants

laindéar · লন্ঠন · లాంతరు · lentera

Translations (157)

nl lantaren (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ja 提灯 (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · tg фонус (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · lt žibiñtas (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · de Laterne (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ja ランタン (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ca fanal (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · es capuchina (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · uz fonus (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · nci ocōcallōtl (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · tk fener (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ota فانوس (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · kk шам (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ga laindéar (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · gd lanntair (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ja 灯篭 (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · pdc Lutzer (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · uz fonar (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · kmr fener (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · got 𐍃𐌺𐌴𐌹𐌼𐌰 (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · cs lucerna (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ug پانۇس (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · de Dachfenster (open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give light) · za daengloengz (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · es candelero (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · my မီးအိမ် (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · gag fener (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ko 등롱 (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ems fanaʀuq (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · de Laterne (a smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one) · sq fener (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · tr fanus (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · yi לאַנטערן (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · la lanterna (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · pt lanterna (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · so faynuus (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · nan-hbl 燈籠 /灯笼 (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · gl farol (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · it lanterna (a smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one) · yue 燈 /灯 (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · gd lòchran (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · bn লন্ঠন (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · id tanglung (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · lo ຕະກຽງ (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · th ประทีป (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · fr lanterne (a smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one) · is lampi (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · tr fener (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · izh fonari (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · th โคมไฟ (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ps لاټين (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · is ljósker (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · hu lámpás (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · de Dachflächenfenster (open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give light) · az fənər (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · he עֲשָׁשִׁית (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · sh fènjer (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · fi lyhty (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ro felinar (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · cmn 燈 /灯 (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · mn дэнлүү (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · sv lykta (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · pdc Ladann (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · eo lanterno (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · cy llusern (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · kmr fanos (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ota فنار (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · es candileja (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · la lampas (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ca faró (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · bo སྒྲོན་མེ (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · mn ᠳ᠋ᠧᠩᠯᠦ (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · bn সিরাজ (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ka ფარანი (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · sk lampáš (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · bg фене́р (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · sh фѐњер (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · sq luqerë (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · nn lanterne (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · kmr fanûs (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · es linterna (a smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one) · hi फानूस (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ro lanternă (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · dng дынлу (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ru фона́рь (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · kk фонарь (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · he פָּנָס (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · vi đèn lồng (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · sa दीपिका (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · kn ಲಾಂದ್ರ (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · pl latarnia (a smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one) · lv laterna (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · gl foco (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · te లాంతరు (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · pt lanterna (a smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one) · el φανάρι (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · hi फ़ानूस (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · es velón (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · it lanterna (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · es farol (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · orv фонарь (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · es quinqué (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · id lentera (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ko 손전등 (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · pdt Latoarn (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · sw koroboi (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · et latern (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ko 랜턴 (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · nl lantaarn (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · cmn 燈籠 /灯笼 (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · hy լապտեր (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · fr lanterne (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · th โคม (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ur فانُوس (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · sl laterna (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · nb lanterne (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · yue 燈籠 /灯笼 (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ur لالْٹین (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · pl latarnia (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ug پانار (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · es farolillo (consumable) (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ky панар (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · km គោម (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · es pendil (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · uk ліхта́р (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ms tanglung (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · vi lồng đèn (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · mk фенер (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · wuu 燈籠 /灯笼 (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ky фонарь (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · rsk латерна (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · prs فَانُوس (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ps پانوس (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · nb lykt (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · mnc ᡩᡝᠩᠯᡠ (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · fa-ira فانوس (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ar فَانُوس (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · rsk лампаш (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · sw fanusi (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · es candil (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · wa lantiene (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · da lanterne (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · be ліхта́р (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ale funaarix̂ (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · nci tlāhuīlcalli (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · acw فانوس (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · bua дэнлүү (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · am ፋኑስ (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · trk-oat فنار (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · hi लालटेन (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · fa-ira لَنْتَر (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · ms lentera (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · sl svetilka (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · pl latarnia (open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give light) · es candilón (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · es fogaril (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light) · sk lucerna (case of transparent material made to protect a flame, or light)

lantern en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈlæntən/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈlɛə̯ntɚn/ æ-raising
• /ˈlæ̝ntɚn/ (General-American) without æ-raising
• (US) audio
• /ˈleə̯ntɚn/ æ-raising

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”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To furnish with a lantern.
   • to lantern a lighthouse

Forms