pendant
gb/pˈɛndənt/ us/pˈɛndənt/
B1
English
~ 7000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
entity
1
decorative piece on a necklace
A small piece of jewelry that hangs from a chain on your neck.
Usage pattern:
wear [a pendant] on [a necklace]
Common mistake:
Learners often use 'necklace' when they mean 'pendant'. The 'necklace' is the whole thing (chain plus any hanging part), while the 'pendant' is just the piece that hangs from the chain.
Synonyms
charm (Often smaller and more casual; can hang from bracelets or necklaces.)
Collocations
gold pendant
|silver pendant
|heart-shaped pendant
|diamond pendant
|wear a pendant
|pendant necklace
Themes
fashion
|daily life
|appearance
|clothing
Examples
- She wore a simple silver pendant on a thin chain.
- He gave her a heart-shaped pendant for their anniversary.
- The diamond pendant caught the light beautifully.
- I lost the pendant from my favorite necklace at the beach.
- Each bridesmaid received a matching pendant as a gift.
Learner examples
- She has a gold pendant around her neck.
- I bought a new pendant for my necklace.
- His pendant is in the shape of a star.
- The small pendant is very special to me.
- My sister made a pendant with my initials.
unknown
B2
entity
2
single hanging ceiling light
A light that hangs from the ceiling on a cord, chain, or metal bar.
Usage pattern:
install [a pendant] over [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this with the jewelry meaning and think 'pendant' always means something you wear. In home and interior design, 'pendant' often refers to a hanging light.
Synonyms
hanging light (A more general, informal term for any light fixture that hangs from the ceiling.)
Antonyms
recessed light (A light that is set into the ceiling instead of hanging down from it.)
Collocations
pendant light
|kitchen pendants
|glass pendant
|cluster pendants
|pendants over the island
|ceiling pendants
Themes
home
|design
|technology
|housing
|daily_life
Examples
- We installed three pendant lights over the kitchen island.
- A single black pendant hangs above the dining table.
- The designer suggested replacing the old fixture with modern glass pendants.
- Pendant lights provide focused light for the countertop.
- The high ceiling looks empty without a large pendant in the center.
Learner examples
- There are two small pendant lights in the kitchen.
- They put a new pendant over the table.
- This glass pendant gives a warm light.
- We want a big pendant in the living room.
- The store sells many styles of pendant lights.
Noun
B2
entity
3
small hanging decorative object
A small piece that hangs from another object, like from a light or an earring.
Usage pattern:
a [pendant] on [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'pendant' with 'pendulum'. A 'pendulum' is a swinging weight used in clocks or experiments; a 'pendant' is a hanging object, usually decorative.
Synonyms
ornament (A more general word for a decorative object; it does not always hang from something.)
Collocations
crystal pendants
|glass pendants
|pendants on the chandelier
|earring pendants
|hanging pendants
Themes
decor
|objects
|housing
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- The chandelier was covered in crystal pendants that sparkled in the sun.
- Several glass pendants dangled from the metal frame.
- One of the pendants on my earrings fell off.
- The artist added colorful pendants to the mobile.
- She replaced the broken pendants on the vintage lamp.
Learner examples
- The light has many small crystal pendants.
- A blue pendant hangs from each earring.
- One pendant is missing from the old lamp.
- The mobile has five paper pendants.
- She cleaned the glass pendants on the big light.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
4
matching or companion artwork
A painting or other artwork that is made to go together with another artwork as a pair.
Usage pattern:
[something] is a pendant to [something]
Common mistake:
Learners may think this always means jewelry. In art history, a 'pendant' can also be a painting or artwork that is a pair with another work.
Synonyms
companion piece (A more general term for a related work; not limited to formal paired artworks in art history.)
Collocations
forms a pendant to
|as a pendant to
|pendant piece
|pendant painting
Themes
art
|culture
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- This portrait was painted as a pendant to the artist's earlier self-portrait.
- The two landscapes are pendants and were originally hung side by side.
- In the catalog, the curator identifies the still life as a pendant to the hunting scene.
- The museum recently acquired the pendant to this famous canvas.
- Each pendant mirrors the other in size and composition.
Learner examples
- This painting is a pendant to another painting in the museum.
- The two pictures are pendants and were shown together.
- The artist made a pendant for his first picture.
- The book says this small picture is the pendant to the big one.
- We finally found the pendant to the old painting.
Grammar
Dictionary form
pendant
IPA
GB/pˈɛndənt/
US/pˈɛndənt/
Syllables & stress
pendant (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (pendant)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: pendant
- Plural: pendants
Word family
Expressions
a pendant to
1/ə pˈɛndənt tə/
fixed phrase
formal
matching companion artwork to another
Used to say that one painting or other artwork is made to go together with another artwork as a pair.
Examples
- This small landscape is a pendant to the large portrait in the same room.
- The curator describes the second canvas as a pendant to the first.
- The museum hopes to find a pendant to this famous work.
heart-shaped pendant
1/hˈɑɹt ʃˈeɪpt pˈɛndənt/
fixed phrase
pendant shaped like a heart
A piece of jewelry that hangs from a chain and is in the shape of a heart.
Examples
- He surprised her with a gold heart-shaped pendant.
- The store window showed a diamond heart-shaped pendant.
- She wears a small heart-shaped pendant every day.
pendant light
1/pˈɛndənt lˈaɪt/
fixed phrase
a light hanging from ceiling
A light that hangs down from the ceiling on a cord, chain, or rod.
Examples
- The new pendant light makes the kitchen much brighter.
- We chose a black pendant light for the hallway.
- Many cafes use low pendant lights above their tables.