Meaning & use
sconce
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Meanings
nouncountable
A small light or candle holder fixed to a wall, usually at about head height or above.
Grammar: Often plural in descriptions of a room: sconces on either side of the mirror.
Patterns
- a sconce on the wall
- wall sconce
A brass sconce glowed beside the front door.
The hallway was lit by candles in iron sconces.
They hung a pair of sconces on each side of the mirror.
nouncountablearchaicmilitary
A small fort or earthwork built to protect a position, especially in older warfare.
Grammar: A historical term; you will usually meet it in books about old wars.
Patterns
- a sconce on the hill
- build a sconce
The soldiers built a sconce at the river crossing.
Cannons were placed in the sconce on the hill.
Historians found traces of an old sconce beside the road.
Word forms
| plural | sconces |
|---|
Common combinations
- wall sconce
- A wall sconce lit the narrow staircase.
- candle sconce
- She polished the candle sconce until it shone.
- brass sconce
- A brass sconce hung beside the painting.
- electric sconce
- The old hall now has an electric sconce instead of candles.
- sconce lighting
- Sconce lighting makes a hallway feel warm.
Synonyms and how they differ
- wall light
- Wall light is the plain modern phrase, while sconce sounds more decorative and traditional.
- candleholder
- Candleholder can stand on a table or hang, while a sconce is always fixed to a wall.
- bracket
- Bracket is the support itself and may hold shelves, while a sconce is a bracket made for a light.
- fixture
- Fixture covers any fitted item, such as a ceiling light or a tap, while sconce names one wall-mounted type.
Word family
Commonly confused: sconce or scone?
sconce vs scone
A scone is a small baked cake eaten with jam or butter; it looks like sconce but is pronounced differently and is unrelated.
Practice
Where would you most likely find a sconce?
Choose one answer.
A sconce is a light or candle holder attached to a wall. A bakery shelf is where you might find a scone, the look-alike word.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sconce”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.