Lanthorn

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A portable illumination device usually made of glass or translucent material, which emits light for navigational guidance or space illumination
2. An encasement for a flame or bulb, intended to provide light in dark situations or during outdoor activities
3. A historical type of lantern designed to hold a candle or small flame for illumination in darkness

Etymology: The word "lanthorn" is an older spelling of "lantern," and the "-horn" in it is a folk-influenced addition rather than part of the word's real history. Early lanterns were often built with panels made from thin, translucent animal horn, which let a flicker of light through while keeping wind out. Because of that material, people began writing the word with "horn" in it, and the spelling stuck for a time in English. The word itself traces back through Old French "lanterne" to Latin "lanterna," which came from Greek "lampter," meaning a light or torch. The horn connection is therefore a spelling association with the object's construction, not the source of the word. The "th" spelling was common in English for several centuries before the modern form became standard.