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
That means Ternus’ deep knowledge of Apple’s hardware could be hugely beneficial for its AI ambitions – especially as the company is reportedly working on new types of AI devices like Siri-enabled smart glasses, a pendant and AirPods with cameras, according to Bloomberg.
—
Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026
The country kitchen has a 14-foot island with grayed cabinetry, white quartz, a prep sink, glass lantern pendants and crossed millwork panels.
—Saleema Syed, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
The rare pendant is valued at £650,000 ($879,000).
—Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Lighting can do the same—anchor each zone with its own fixture (a pendant over the table and a softer glow in the lounge), and a great room can start to feel like a meal with multiple courses.
—Kathryn O'Shea-Evans, Architectural Digest, 16 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pendant
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Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 21 Apr. 2026
The country kitchen has a 14-foot island with grayed cabinetry, white quartz, a prep sink, glass lantern pendants and crossed millwork panels.
—Saleema Syed, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
The rare pendant is valued at £650,000 ($879,000).
—Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
Lighting can do the same—anchor each zone with its own fixture (a pendant over the table and a softer glow in the lounge), and a great room can start to feel like a meal with multiple courses.
—Kathryn O'Shea-Evans, Architectural Digest, 16 Apr. 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 25 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pendant
noun
pen·dant
variants
also pendent
: something that hangs down especially as an ornament
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