variants
or less commonly pendent
1
: something suspended: such as
a
: an ornament (as on a necklace) allowed to hang free
A turquoise pendant hung on her necklace.
b
: an electrical fixture suspended from the ceiling
hung an incandescent light pendant from the ceiling over the reading area
2
: a hanging ornament of roofs or ceilings much used in the later styles of Gothic architecture
3
: a length of line usually used as a connector on a boat or ship
especially
: a short rope hanging from a spar and having at its free end a block or spliced thimble (see thimble sense 2a)
4
chiefly British
: pennant sense 1a
5
a
: companion piece
The portrait of his father is a pendant to the one of his mother.
b
: something secondary or supplementary
The illustration is an apt pendant to the poem.
Did you know?
Most pendants are purely decorative. But a pendant may also hold a picture or a lock of hair of a lover or a child. And, perhaps because they hang protectively in front of the body and near the heart, pendants have often had symbolic and magical purposes. Thus, a pendant may be a charm or amulet, or its gems or metals may be felt to have health-giving properties. In architecture, a pendant is an ornament that hangs down from a structure, but unlike a necklace pendant it's usually solid and inflexible.
Examples of pendant in a Sentence
Navajo necklaces with pendants finely crafted in genuine sky-blue turquoise.
a pendant that once flew on Nelson's flagship
Recent Examples on the Web
For accessories, Stewart often turns to solitaire diamond earrings and simple rings, with her top jewelry brands including Van Cleef & Arpels’ pendants and Cartier, with the Tank watch in metal bracelet and alligator straps, as a staple piece.
—
Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 31 Oct. 2025
Another label, Hui Hui, creates pendants made with horse hair, which also ascribe to the nomadic trend, has secured 80 stockists in just two years, a testament to the popularity of the style.
—Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
At a metal detector, a guard gestured to his many necklaces and pendants.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Thus, the scheme of thoughtfully layered illumination, including the pair of Grand Central Terminal–worthy pendants in the kitchen (each weighing in the realm of 60 pounds), plaster sconces, custom lampshades, and Deschanel’s beloved Murano chandeliers.
—Catherine Hong, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pendant
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Kanika Talwar, Footwear News, 31 Oct. 2025
Another label, Hui Hui, creates pendants made with horse hair, which also ascribe to the nomadic trend, has secured 80 stockists in just two years, a testament to the popularity of the style.
—Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 30 Oct. 2025
At a metal detector, a guard gestured to his many necklaces and pendants.
—Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
Thus, the scheme of thoughtfully layered illumination, including the pair of Grand Central Terminal–worthy pendants in the kitchen (each weighing in the realm of 60 pounds), plaster sconces, custom lampshades, and Deschanel’s beloved Murano chandeliers.
—Catherine Hong, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pendant
Cite this Entry
“Pendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pendant. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pendant
noun
pen·dant
variants
also pendent
: something that hangs down especially as an ornament
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