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
Thus, the scheme of thoughtfully layered illumination, including the pair of Grand Central Terminal–worthy pendants in the kitchen (each weighing in the realm of 60 pounds), plaster sconces, custom lampshades, and Deschanel’s beloved Murano chandeliers.
—
Catherine Hong, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025
In the above photo, the light pendants are made of Murano glass, adding a surprise dose of charm.
—Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, the people defacing Friend’s advertisements are expressing a much larger, inchoate rage at the broader AI industry, not just these plastic pendants that practically nobody owns.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 6 Oct. 2025
Bronze finds include clasps, pins, bracelets, pendants and even a horse figurine.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pendant
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Catherine Hong, Architectural Digest, 8 Oct. 2025
In the above photo, the light pendants are made of Murano glass, adding a surprise dose of charm.
—Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Oct. 2025
Meanwhile, the people defacing Friend’s advertisements are expressing a much larger, inchoate rage at the broader AI industry, not just these plastic pendants that practically nobody owns.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 6 Oct. 2025
Bronze finds include clasps, pins, bracelets, pendants and even a horse figurine.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pendant
Cite this Entry
“Pendant.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pendant. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pendant
noun
pen·dant
variants
also pendent
: something that hangs down especially as an ornament
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