candle

1 of 2

noun

can·​dle ˈkan-dᵊl 

plural candles

1

: a usually molded or dipped mass of wax or tallow containing a wick that may be burned (as to give light, heat, or scent or for celebration or votive purposes)

2

: something resembling a candle in shape or use

a sulfur candle for fumigating

3

: required effort, expense, or trouble

—usually used in the phrase not worth the candle

4

: candela

5

: a thin, upright new shoot forming from a terminal bud on a pine tree in the spring

Pines grow from the branch tips, which elongate into "candles" in spring, then fatten into mature, needle-covered branches. To minimize pine growth, just pinch off the ends of the candles.

—Jim McCausland et al.

candle

2 of 2

verb

candled; candling

ˈkan(d)-liŋ,

ˈkan-dᵊl-iŋ 

transitive verb

: to examine by holding between the eye and a light

especially : to test (eggs) in this way for staleness, blood clots, fertility, and growth

candler

ˈkan(d)-lər 

ˈkan-dᵊl-ər

noun

Examples of candle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Flowers and candles are seen at a memorial five days after a mass shooting at a Walmart store in El Paso, Texas, August 8, 2019. —CBS News, 21 Apr. 2025

Attendees held candles or laid flowers to honor the six. —David Chiu, People.com, 21 Apr. 2025

Verb

Other key players in Welch's lighting lineup include warm-toned twinkle lights and candle warmers. —Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2024

After all these scores of decades, will America the free still see and be the uplifting, candled light of its soon-approaching 250th birthday? —Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English candel, from Old English, from Latin candela, from candēre

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1879, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing candle

• burn the candle at both ends
• foot-candle
• hold a candle to
• not worth the candle
• Roman candle
• rush candle
• standard candle
• tea light candle
• votive candle

Rhymes for candle

• handle
• sandal
• scandal
• vandal
• panhandle

Kids Definition

candle

1 of 2 noun

can·​dle ˈkan-dᵊl 

1

: a mass of tallow or wax containing a wick that is burned to give light

2

: candela

candle

2 of 2 verb

candled; candling ˈkan-dliŋ 

-dᵊl-iŋ

: to examine an egg by holding it between the eye and a light

candler

-dlər 

-dᵊl-ər

noun

Etymology

Noun

Old English candel "candle," from Latin candela "candle," from candēre "to shine, be bright" — related to candid, candidate see Word History at candidate

Medical Definition

candle

noun

can·​dle ˈkan-dᵊl 

1

: a medicated candle or lozenge used for fumigation

2

: candela