Meanings
plural candlelights · alternative candle light · alternative candle-light
- uncountableusuallyThe light emitted by a candle.
Cradled in the arms of Night, the gleam of moon and candlelight bring images alive from days gone by.
2013, Will Moody, Candlelight Reflections, page 652 more examples
I looked across the table into her shining eyes, which were golden in the candlelight, with my fingers round the stem of my own glass, ready for the toast.
1912, Cecil Barber, “Standchen”, in The Living Age, volume 275, page 426Using survey data gathered from social media users who participated in the candlelight vigils, he explores the prevalence of social media use during the protests, how it differs in terms of individual-level demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, […]
2021, JongHwa Lee, Chuyun Oh, Yong-Chan Kim, The Candlelight Movement, Democracy, and Communication in Korea, page 1969 - archaicuncountableusuallyThe evening, when darkness falls and it is time to light candles.
As Marie glances at the window, she sees that the day has gone; it is almost candlelight.
2017, Elaine Stienon, Children of a Northern Kingdom2 more examples
Morning dress is that which is worn during business hours or at any time in any place, where semiformal dress is not required until candlelight or seven o'clock in the evening .
1896, Walter Germain, The Complete Bachelor: Manners for Men, page 10The attack finally ceased Monday morning, but "soon after candlelight, came on a most terrible bombardment and cannonade, on both sides, as if heaven and earth were engaged."
2005, Jacqueline Barbara Carr, After the Siege: A Social History of Boston 1775-1800, page 35
Synonyms & antonyms
nounthe light provided by a burning candle
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Old Englishcandel lēoht“candlelight”
- Middle Englishcandel lyght
- Englishcandlelight
From Middle English candel lyght, candyllyght, candyll-lyȝht, candel liȝt, candle lyȝt, candeliȝt, candel-liht, from Old English candel lēoht (“candlelight”), equivalent to candle + light.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans kerslig
- kersligthe light of a candle
Chinese Mandarin 燭光 /烛光
- 燭光 /烛光 (zhúguāng)the light of a candle
Dutch kaarslicht
- kaarslichtthe light of a candle
Finnish kynttilänvalo
- kynttilänvalothe light of a candle
German Kerzenlicht, Kerzenschein
- Kerzenlichtthe light of a candle
- Kerzenscheinthe light of a candle
Icelandic kertaljós
- kertaljósthe light of a candle
Indonesian cahaya lilin
- cahaya lilinthe light of a candle
Korean 촛불
- 촛불 (chotbul)the light of a candle
Russian свет от свечи́, свет горящей свечи
- свет от свечи́ (svet ot svečí)the light of a candle
- свет горящей свечи (svet gorjaščej sveči)the light of a candle
Swedish ljussken
- ljusskenthe light of a candle
Turkish mum ışığı
- mum ışığıthe light of a candle
Cite this entry
candlelight. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/candlelight
“candlelight.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/candlelight. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “candlelight,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/candlelight.
Source: candlelight on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.