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
The New York Yankees captain, 33, has been making a fashion statement as of late with a noticeable pendant on a silver chain.
—
Michelle Lee, People.com, 4 June 2025
The second piece is a Rene Lalique Art Nouveau pendant made of gold, enamel, emerald and pearl, circa 1900.
—Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
The other was a silver necklace with a round pendant.
—Sara Vallone, Miami Herald, 2 June 2025
The part of the ring that comes off can be worn as a pendant.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 28 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for pendant
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Michelle Lee, People.com, 4 June 2025
The second piece is a Rene Lalique Art Nouveau pendant made of gold, enamel, emerald and pearl, circa 1900.
—Anthony Demarco, Forbes.com, 3 June 2025
The other was a silver necklace with a round pendant.
—Sara Vallone, Miami Herald, 2 June 2025
The part of the ring that comes off can be worn as a pendant.
—Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 28 May 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 10 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pendant
noun
pen·dant
variants
also pendent
: something that hangs down especially as an ornament
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