Lantern

Definitions

1. A case of translucent or transparent material made to protect a flame, or light, used to illuminate its surroundings.
2. Especially, a metal casing with lens used to illuminate a stage (e.g. spotlight, floodlight).
3. An open structure of light material set upon a roof, to give light and air to the interior.
4. A cage or open chamber of rich architecture, open below into the building or tower which it crowns.
5. A smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one, for ornament, or to admit light.
6. A lantern pinion or trundle wheel.
7. A kind of cage inserted in a stuffing box and surrounding a piston rod, to separate the packing into two parts and form a chamber between for the reception of steam, etc.; a lantern brass.
8. A light formerly used as a signal by a railway guard or conductor at night.
9. A perforated barrel to form a core upon.
10. Aristotle's lantern

Equivalents

Examples

“On such an afternoon, if ever, the Lord High Chancellor ought to be sitting here—as here he is—with a foggy glory round his head, softly fenced in with crimson cloth and curtains, addressed by a large advocate with great whiskers, a little voice, and an interminable brief, and outwardly directing his contemplation to the lantern in the roof, where he can see⟳ nothing but fog.”

“The station also boasts a large semi-domed French pavilion roof with fish-scale tiles and iron⟳ cresting, plus a rectangular hall with arcaded upper storey and wooden lantern.”

“the lantern of the cupola of the Capitol at Washington, or that of the Florence cathedral”

CEFR level