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
The serpent pendant adds more than 250 more black diamonds, navette-cut rubies, and champlevé enamel.
—
Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 31 Jan. 2026
Richard Burton bought this Bulgari emerald pendant (with its 23-carat center stone) and matching necklace as an engagement present for Taylor, and Bulgari bought them both back for $12 million.
—Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
Key Background The iconic diamond was originally a gift from Mughal emperor Shah Jahangir, who ruled from 1605 to 1627, to his wife Nur Jahan, whose name is inscribed on the pendant’s surface.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
For those seeking something other than belt buckles, the company also makes bracelets, cuff links, pendants, necklaces and rings as well as alligator leather belts to hold those intricate buckles.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 27 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pendant
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Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 31 Jan. 2026
Richard Burton bought this Bulgari emerald pendant (with its 23-carat center stone) and matching necklace as an engagement present for Taylor, and Bulgari bought them both back for $12 million.
—Alex Apatoff, PEOPLE, 29 Jan. 2026
Key Background The iconic diamond was originally a gift from Mughal emperor Shah Jahangir, who ruled from 1605 to 1627, to his wife Nur Jahan, whose name is inscribed on the pendant’s surface.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
For those seeking something other than belt buckles, the company also makes bracelets, cuff links, pendants, necklaces and rings as well as alligator leather belts to hold those intricate buckles.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 27 Jan. 2026
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 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pendant
noun
pen·dant
variants
also pendent
: something that hangs down especially as an ornament
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