pendant

noun pen·dant \ ˈpen-dənt ; senses 3 & 4 are also ˈpe-nənt , sense 5 is also päⁿ-ˈdäⁿ \

variants: or less commonly pendent

|Updated on: 7 Jun 2018

Examples: pendant in a Sentence

Editor's Note: Did You Know?

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 2a)

4 chiefly British : pennant 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.

See pendant defined for English-language learners

See pendant defined for kids

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 of pendant from the Web

To preserve the architectural details, Tackett camouflaged the sprinkler and security systems, reused the original pendant lights, and created custom acoustical panels.

— inga saffron, Philly.com, "How a Philadelphia lawyer turned a historic bank into a shrine to democracy (and his legal career)," 3 June 2018
High-collared — almost ghoulish — Victorian gowns fluttered past with hanging crucifix pendants.

— Washington Post, "Death and glitter: Gucci hosts France show in Roman ruins," 2 June 2018
White brick walls are softly lit by large, opaque globe pendant lights.

— lindsey mcclave, The Courier-Journal, "Doc Crow's sets a worthy bar for successful restaurants in Louisville," 30 May 2018
The large pin is made from diamonds set in silver and gold in a scrolling design, and there is a central pearl and diamond pendant that hangs down.

— elizabeth angell, Town & Country, "Prince Philip's Cousin Just Said the Funniest Thing About Queen Elizabeth's Royal Wedding Jewelry," 23 May 2018
Among features are three period fireplaces, exotic pendant light fixtures and an open-plan kitchen lined in artistic tile.

— neal j. leitereg, jack flemming and lauren beale, sacbee, "Hot Property: $68 million farmhouse mansion sells | The Sacramento Bee," 21 May 2018
Among features are three period fireplaces, exotic pendant light fixtures and an open-plan kitchen lined in artistic tile.

— neal j. leitereg, latimes.com, "Hot Property: Studio titan's estate draws $68 million in Holmby Hills," 19 May 2018
The artifacts discovered at the site include stashes of period jewelery that were hidden in deposits, like gilded brooches, glass beads, rings and silver pendants.

— ashley strickland, CNN, "Skeletons tell story of 'truly horrifying' fifth-century massacre," 1 May 2018
Teardrop pendants to practical vanity lights were purchased at Globe Lighting in Portland.

— janet eastman, OregonLive.com, "Beaverton's most expensive house for sale has a Zen garden (photos)," 25 Apr. 2018

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.

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.

Origin and Etymology of pendant

Middle English pendaunt, from Anglo-French pendant, from present participle of pendre to hang, from Vulgar Latin *pendere, from Latin pendēre; akin to Latin pendere to weigh, estimate, pay, pondus weight

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

pendant Synonyms

Synonyms

bangle, charm;

Related Words

locket, teardrop;

Other Jewelry Terms

bijou, brilliant, chase, facet, lapidary, paste

PENDANT Defined for English Language Learners

pendant

noun

Definition of pendant for English Language Learners

: a piece of jewelry that hangs on a chain or a cord which is worn around your neck

PENDANT Defined for Kids

pendant

noun pen·dant \ ˈpen-dənt \

Definition of pendant for Students

: a piece of jewelry hanging on a chain or cord that is worn around the neck

Word Root of pendant

The Latin word pendere, meaning “to cause to hang down,” gives us the root pend. Words from the Latin pendere have something to do with hanging. To suspend is to cause something to hang down from a single point. To depend is to hang, or rely, on the support of others. A pendant is an ornament that hangs free, as on a necklace. A pendulum is an object hung from a point that swings freely back and forth, as in a clock.