pendant

noun

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pen·dant | \ ˈpen-dənt

; senses 3 & 4 are also ˈpe-nənt

, sense 5 is also päⁿ-ˈdäⁿ

variants: or less commonly pendent

Definition of pendant

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

5a : 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.

Synonyms Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about pendant

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Synonyms for pendant

Synonyms

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 The custom colors of the Stray Dog Designs metal cage pendant coordinate with the wallpaper, while the open design echoes the table below. — BostonGlobe.com, "Home design inspiration: Wallpaper in a nursery," 7 May 2021 An Everlasting Rose For a Mother's Day bud that won't go in the bin, try Sofia Zakia's solid 14k gold rose pendant studded with dainty diamonds. — Nicola Fumo, Forbes, "49 Unique Mother’s Day Gift Ideas For All The Special Moms In Your Life," 7 May 2021 The model also wore a silver pendant and sleek black sunglasses to let the statement suit shine. — Shelby Ying Hyde, Harper's BAZAAR, "Irina Shayk Channels Cher Horowitz in a Skirt Suit and Combat Boots," 29 Apr. 2021 Vanessa Kirby’s put an elegant spin on Cartier’s platinum and diamond drop necklace by wearing it backwards with the 7.04-carat diamond pendant falling just between her shoulders above the dip in the back of her pale pink Gucci gown. — Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, "Zendaya Wore Two Insane Bulgari Necklaces—and 231.78-Carats in Diamonds—to the Oscars," 26 Apr. 2021 The pendant appears to have broken off of a necklace. — oregonlive, "Did you lose an urn necklace at Hagg Lake? A county worker found it," 23 Apr. 2021 Join Jan Haenjager in the creation of a dragonfly pendant, which symbolizes the ability to overcome times of hardship. — courant.com, "Community News For The West Hartford Edition," 16 Apr. 2021 As part of his sentence Ray also had to forfeit a 2007 white BMW, a Rolex Yacht-Master watch, an Icebox diamond ring and a diamond pendant to the federal government. — Johnny Magdaleno, The Indianapolis Star, "'Picasso,' an Indianapolis tattoo artist and drug ring leader, sentenced for meth dealing," 12 Apr. 2021 Her designs conceptually tell stories, some that only the wearer can know, like the working Sundial cuff and the Tolomeo pendant, which represents the 2,000-year-old astronomical theory that the earth was the center of the universe. — Jill Newman, Town & Country, "How Royals from Queen Elizabeth I to Prince Charles Kept Secrets in Their Jewels," 2 Apr. 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pendant.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.