pendant

noun

pen·​dant ˈpen-dənt How to pronounce pendant (audio)
senses 3 & 4 are also
ˈpe-nənt How to pronounce pendant (audio)
sense 5 is also
päⁿ-ˈdäⁿ How to pronounce pendant (audio)
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
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.
This includes another brain pendant chain — made with yellow gold instead of white — his dual skateboard pendant, his iconic 2005 N.E.R.D. chain, and a nine carat pair of Oakley sunglasses. Jessica Bennett, VIBE.com, 11 Apr. 2025 Her Elsa Peretti for Tiffany tassel pendant adds a layer of tasteful artistry. Talia Abbas, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2025 Award pendants in hand, the team, sunburned and exhausted but beaming with pride, made their way back to the parking lots for the trip home to Lake City. Jacob Spetzler, The Denver Post, 20 Mar. 2025 Pendant Lights Actress Laura Harrier hangs a bespoke pendant lamp in her bedroom. Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 19 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pendant

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pendant was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pendant. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

pendant

noun
pen·​dant
variants also pendent
: something that hangs down especially as an ornament

More from Merriam-Webster on pendant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!