lantern
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: ipa: /ˈlæntən/
ipa: /ˈlɛən(t)ɚn/
Forms: form: lanterns
form: lanthorn
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”).
Senses: glosses: A case of translucent or transparent material made to protect a flame, or light, used to illuminate its surroundings.
topics: entertainment
lifestyle
theater
glosses: Especially, a metal casing with lens used to illuminate a stage (e.g. spotlight, floodlight).
examples: text: 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.
ref: 1852 March – 1853 September, Charles Dickens, chapter 1, in Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1853, →OCLC:
text: 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.
ref: 2022 January 12, Paul Bigland, “Fab Four: the nation's finest stations: Eastbourne”, in RAIL, number 948, page 27:
topics: architecture
glosses: An open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give light and air to the interior.
topics: architecture
glosses: A cage or open chamber of rich architecture, open below into the building or tower which it crowns.
examples: text: the lantern of the cupola of the Capitol at Washington, or that of the Florence cathedral
topics: architecture
glosses: A smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one, for ornament, or to admit light.
topics: engineering
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
glosses: A lantern pinion or trundle wheel.
qualifier: steam engines
glosses: 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.
topics: rail-transport
railways
transport
glosses: A light formerly used as a signal by a railway guard or conductor at night.
topics: arts
crafts
engineering
hobbies
lifestyle
metallurgy
metalworking
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
glosses: A perforated barrel to form a core upon.
topics: biology
natural-sciences
zoology
glosses: Aristotle's lantern
Derived terms: blind lantern
Chinese lantern
crab lantern
dark lantern
dark-lantern
death lantern
fairy lantern
Fresnel lantern
friar's lantern
grave lantern
hobby lantern
hurricane lantern
idiot's lantern
jack-a-lantern
jack-o'-lantern
jack-o-lantern
Jack-with-a-lantern
Japanese lantern
lantern beetle
lantern berry
Lantern Festival
lanternfish
lantern fish
lanternflower
lanternfly
lantern gear
lanternist
lantern jaw
lantern jawed
lantern-jawed
lanternless
lanternlight
lanternlike
lantern of the dead
lantern roof
lanternshark
lantern shark
lantern shield
lantern sleeve
lantern slide
lantern tower
lantern wheel
magic lantern
magic lantern show
neep lantern
parish lantern
sky lantern
storm lantern