Meaning & use
lantern
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Meanings
nouncountable
A portable case, often with transparent sides, that holds a candle, oil flame, or bulb and shields it from wind.
Grammar: Countable; plural lanterns. It implies protection around the light.
Patterns
- carry a lantern
- paper lantern
- lantern light
She carried a lantern down the dark garden path.
A paper lantern glowed above the picnic table.
nouncountabletechnical
A windowed structure on a roof, dome, or tower that lets light into the space below.
Grammar: Countable; mainly architecture, often in compounds such as lantern roof.
Patterns
- lantern roof
- domed lantern
- staircase lantern
The mosque’s dome rose above a ring of small windows in the lantern.
A glass lantern brought daylight into the museum stairwell.
Word forms
| plural | lanterns |
|---|
Common combinations
- carry a lantern
- The guide carried a lantern so the group could see the trail.
- paper lantern
- Each child released a paper lantern at the festival.
- lantern light
- The tent was warm in the soft lantern light.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lamp
- Broader: any device giving light; lantern specifically has a protective case.
- torch
- In British English a hand-held electric light; lanterns usually surround and protect the flame or bulb.
- flashlight
- American portable electric light; it is not usually open-flame and lacks a lantern case.
Word family
- lantern-jawed adjective
- Having a long, thin, prominent jaw.
Commonly confused: lantern or lamp?
lantern vs lamp
A lamp is any light; a lantern is portable and enclosed to protect the light source.
Practice
Which object is best described as a lantern?
Choose one answer.
A lantern encloses and protects a light source, often for carrying. An open candle is unprotected, and a streetlight or heater is not portable.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “lantern”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.