chandelier

noun

chan·​de·​lier ˌshan-də-ˈlir How to pronounce chandelier (audio)
Synonyms of chandeliernext
: a branched often ornate lighting fixture suspended from a ceiling
chandeliered
ˌshan-də-ˈlird How to pronounce chandelier (audio)
adjective

Illustration of chandelier

Illustration of chandelier

Examples of chandelier in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Above the staircase hangs a glimmering bronze-and-glass chandelier, a more conventional way of filling empty space on a superyacht—if conventional is the right word for a chandelier that weighs 350 kilograms. — Dea Jusufi, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 The yacht has gaudy chandeliers, shiny fittings, a glass elevator and more marble and mosaic tiles than most Italian villas. — CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026 Her grandmother’s crystal chandelier, rewired after years of holding actual candles, now hangs in the primary bedroom, which is tented in dreamy silk shantung. — David Foxley, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026 Protective, almost — which makes sense, as its stunning chandeliers are designed to look like the shields and spears of African Masai warriors. — Amy Drew Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for chandelier

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, going back to Old French, going back to Vulgar Latin *candēlārium, formed by substitution of the suffix -ārium -ary entry 1 from Latin candēlābrum candelabrum

First Known Use

1736, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chandelier was in 1736

Rhymes for chandelier

See All Rhymes for chandelier

Browse Nearby Words

chandala
chandelier
chandelier tree
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chandelier.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chandelier. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

chandelier

noun
chan·​de·​lier ˌshan-də-ˈli(ə)r How to pronounce chandelier (audio)
: a branched lighting fixture usually hanging from a ceiling

More from Merriam-Webster on chandelier

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for chandelier

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chandelier

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