chandelier

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a decorative light fixture with several branches, suspended from a ceiling

   A crystal chandelier hung above the long dining table.

Appears in

Simplified etymology

Chandelier was borrowed in the mid-18th century from Old French chandelier. It belongs to the same word family as candle, which comes through Latin candela from candere, “to be white, shine, or glisten.”

Borrowed from French chandelier, originally a candleholder, from chandelle, 'candle,' and ultimately Latin candela. The first chandeliers held multiple candles on branching frames; the name remained after gas and electric lamps replaced the candles.

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External links

• Google Images
• Cambridge Dictionary
• Wiktionary