pendant

noun

pen·​dant ˈpen-dənt 

senses 3 & 4 are also

ˈpe-nənt 

sense 5 is also

päⁿ-ˈdäⁿ 

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.

Synonyms of pendant

• charm
• bangle

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 piece a was a Christmas present from her mother and consists of a white chain with spikes and a skull with blue eyes as the pendant. —Meg Walters, InStyle, 5 Jan. 2026

Adorned with 3,000 pendants, including 2,000 in signature Baccarat red crystal from fusing clear crystal with 24-karat gold powder, the opulent work of art is cradled by 15-foot installation and available for public viewing and viral social media moments day and night. —Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 1 Jan. 2026

Mixing thrift store finds with newer modern pieces like the shimmering Serena & Lily globe pendant keeps this Alabama cabin feeling fresh. —Zoe Gowen, Southern Living, 29 Dec. 2025

There’s halo-like bantu knots and braids that swirl like jeweled pendants, and intricate curtains of cornrows. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 22 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English pendaunt "hanging edge of a belt or garter," borrowed from Anglo-French, noun derivative of pendant, pendaunt "hanging (up or down), dangling" — more at pendent

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pendant

• pendent
• tendent
• appendant
• ascendant
• attendant
• defendant
• dependant
• dependent
• descendant
• descendent
• intendant
• resplendent

Kids Definition

pendant

noun

pen·​dant

variants also pendent

ˈpen-dənt 

: something that hangs down especially as an ornament