Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Lantern

Lan′tern

(lăn′tẽrn)
,
Noun.
[F.
lanterne
, L.
lanterna
,
laterna
, from Gr.
λαμπτήρ
light, torch. See
Lamp
.]
1.
Something inclosing a light, and protecting it from wind, rain, etc.; – sometimes portable, as a closed vessel or case of horn, perforated tin, glass, oiled paper, or other material, having a lamp or candle within; sometimes fixed, as the glazed inclosure of a street light, or of a lighthouse light.
2.
(Arch.)
(a)
An open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give light and air to the interior.
(b)
A cage or open chamber of rich architecture, open below into the building or tower which it crowns.
(c)
A smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one, for ornament, or to admit light; such as the lantern of the cupola of the Capitol at Washington, or that of the Florence cathedral.
3.
(Mach.)
A lantern pinion or trundle wheel. See
Lantern pinion
(below).
4.
(Steam Engine)
A kind of cage inserted in a stuffing box and surrounding a piston rod, to separate the packing into two parts and form a chamber between for the reception of steam, etc.; – called also
lantern brass
.
5.
(Founding)
A perforated barrel to form a core upon.
6.
(Zool.)
See
Aristotle’s lantern
.
☞ Fig. 1 represents a hand lantern; fig. 2, an arm lantern; fig. 3, a breast lantern; – so named from the positions in which they are carried.
Dark lantern
,
a lantern with a single opening, which may be closed so as to conceal the light; – called also
bull's-eye
.
–
Lantern jaws
,
long, thin jaws; hence, a thin visage.
–
Lantern pinion
,
Lantern wheel
(Mach.)
,
a kind of pinion or wheel having cylindrical bars or trundles, instead of teeth, inserted at their ends in two parallel disks or plates; – so called as resembling a lantern in shape; – called also
wallower
, or
trundle
.
–
Lantern shell
(Zool.)
,
any translucent, marine, bivalve shell of the genus
Anatina
, and allied genera.
–
Magic lantern
,
an optical instrument consisting of a case inclosing a light, and having suitable lenses in a lateral tube, for throwing upon a screen, in a darkened room or the like, greatly magnified pictures from slides placed in the focus of the outer lens.

Lan′tern

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Lanterned
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Lanterning
.]
[Cf. F.
lanterner
to hang at the lamp post, fr.
lanterne
. See
Lantern
.]
To furnish with a lantern;
as, to
lantern
a lighthouse
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Lantern

LAN'TERN

,
Noun.
[L. laterna.]
1.
A case or vessel made of tin perforated with many holes, or of some transparent substance, as glass, horn, or oiled paper; used for carrying a candle or other light in the open air, or into stables, &c.
A dark lantern is one with a single opening, which may be closed so as to conceal the light.
2.
A light-house or light to direct the course of ships.
3.
In architecture, a little dome raised over the roof of a building to give light, and to serve as a crowning to the fabric.
4.
A square cage of carpentry placed over the ridge of a corridor or gallery, between two rows of shops, to illuminate them.
Magic lantern, an optical machine by which painted images are represented so much magnified as to appear like the effect of magic.

Definition 2024

lantern

lantern

English

Street lantern
Portable lantern

Alternative forms

Noun

lantern ‎(plural lanterns)

  1. A case of translucent or transparent material made to protect a flame, or light, used to illuminate its surroundings.
  2. (theater) Especially, a metal casing with lens used to illuminate a stage (e.g. spotlight, floodlight).
  3. (architecture) An open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give light and air to the interior.
  4. (architecture) A cage or open chamber of rich architecture, open below into the building or tower which it crowns.
  5. (architecture) A smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one, for ornament, or to admit light.
    the lantern of the cupola of the Capitol at Washington, or that of the Florence cathedral
  6. (engineering) A lantern pinion or trundle wheel.
  7. (steam engines) A kind of cage inserted in a stuffing box and surrounding a piston rod, to separate the packing into two parts and form a chamber between for the reception of steam, etc.; a lantern brass.
  8. (rail transport) A light formerly used as a signal by a railway guard or conductor at night.
  9. (metalworking) A perforated barrel to form a core upon.
  10. (zoology) Aristotle's lantern

Translations

Verb

lantern ‎(third-person singular simple present lanterns, present participle lanterning, simple past and past participle lanterned)

  1. (transitive) To furnish with a lantern.
    to lantern a lighthouse

See also

Etymology

Middle English (13th century), via Old French lanterne from Latin lanterna ‎(“lantern”), itself a corruption of Ancient Greek λαμπτήρ ‎(lamptḗr, “torch”) (see lamp, λάμπω) by influence of Latin lucerna ‎(“lamp”). The spelling lanthorn was current during the 16th to 19th centuries and originates with a folk etymology associating the word with the use of horn as translucent cover. For the verb, compare French lanterner to hang at the lamp-post.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈlæn.tən/
  • (US) IPA(key): /ˈlæn.tɚn/

Similar Results