lantern
lantern Lexical Profile
lantern Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A portable source of lighting featuring a transparent or translucent protective enclosure for a lamp, candle, or flame, designed to shield it from wind and rain.
"During the power outage, they relied on a battery-powered camping lantern to illuminate the tent."
A windowed architectural structure situated on top of a roof or dome to allow natural light and air to enter the interior space below.
"The majestic dome of the cathedral is crowned by an ornate stone lantern that bathes the sanctuary in sunlight."
The enclosed glass housing at the top of a lighthouse that contains the powerful optical lens and primary light source.
"The keeper climbed the spiral staircase to clean the glass panes of the lighthouse lantern before nightfall."
Word Origin & Etymology
Middle English: from Old French lanterne, from Latin lanterna, which itself comes from Greek lamptēr ('torch, lamp'), derived from lampein ('to shine').
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.