lantern

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“
Every man who breathes, every woman who crosses the street, every wind that blows, every ship that sails, every tide that fills, every wave that breaks, is for him alive with mystery as a lantern is alive with light--a little light in an immense darkness.

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Definitions (39)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (6)

  1. noun An often portable case with transparent or translucent sides for holding and protecting a light.
  2. noun A decorative casing for a light, often of paper.
  3. noun A light and its protective or decorative case.
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Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (30)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (2)

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Examples (50)

  • I used maintenance tunnels, avoiding the twenty-four-hour chaos of the residential mazes, even if carrying a lantern was a pain. —  Asimov's Science Fiction, March 2002
  • Though she always preferred to be alone in this, her special place, and though she felt as if the lantern was a bit of an intrusion, Jilseponie could not help but be happy at the sight of her two dear friends. —  ASCENDANCE
  • For an instant he toyed with the idea of trying to run, but then the watchman came close enough so Anthon could see that the lantern was attached to the barrel of a decidedly ugly handgun. —  Analog April, 1971
  • Down came the shouted orders, and Rousse at the helm jostled the ship into position, until the lantern was aligned with Hyacinthe's pointing finger high in the crow's-nest, unseen by those of us below. —  Carey, Jaqueline - Kushiel's Dart orig
  • I stayed only an hour, but did manage to find one treasure: a 19th-century gold gilt and mesh petite hanging lantern from a French church. —  Paris Parfait
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Etymologies (3)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, from Old French lanterne, from Latin lanterna, from Greek lamptēr, from lampein, to shine.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (2)

  1. Until recently also lanthorn, a popular spelling simulating horn (in supposed allusion to the transparent plates of horn which often formed the sides of lanterns); from Middle English lanterne, from French lanterne = Spanish Portuguese Italian lanterna, from Latin lanterna, laterna, from Greek λαμπτήρ, a stand or grate used in lighting, a torch, from λάμπειν, give light: see lamp.
  2. Formerly also lanthorn; from lantern, n.
 

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/ˈlæntərn/
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