Meaning & use
a pendant
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Meanings
nouncountable
a piece of jewelry that hangs from a chain worn around the neck
Grammar: Countable: 'a pendant', 'two pendants'. Often used with 'on a chain' or 'with a pendant'.
Patterns
- a pendant on a chain
- wear a pendant
- a gold pendant
She wore a silver pendant on a thin chain.
He gave her a pendant with a small diamond in it.
The pendant belonged to her grandmother.
nouncountable
a hanging light or decoration, especially one that hangs from the ceiling
Grammar: Countable; often used in 'pendant light' or 'pendant lamp'.
Patterns
- a pendant light
- a pendant lamp
- hang a pendant
The kitchen has a modern pendant light above the table.
They installed two pendants over the counter.
Word forms
| plural | pendants |
|---|
Common combinations
- a gold pendant
- She bought a gold pendant for her sister's birthday.
- a pendant necklace
- A pendant necklace can be simple or very decorative.
- a pendant light
- The pendant light hangs low over the dining table.
- wear a pendant
- He always wears a pendant that his father gave him.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- pendant adjective
- Used before a noun to describe something that hangs, as in 'pendant light'.
Commonly confused: a pendant or pendent? a pendant or pennant?
a pendant vs pendent
'Pendent' is an adjective meaning hanging or pending; 'pendant' is the noun for the jewelry. In American English, 'pendant' is the standard spelling for both, but 'pendent' is rare.
a pendant vs pennant
A pennant is a long, narrow flag, often used in sports; a pendant is jewelry or a hanging light.
Practice
What is a pendant?
Choose one answer.
A pendant hangs from a chain around the neck. A pin attached to clothing is a brooch, not a pendant. A hat and a ring are different items of clothing or jewelry.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “a pendant”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.