candlelight

• candle light, (archaic) candle-light

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.

• IPA^(key): /ˈkæn.dl̩ˌlaɪt/

• Audio (US):

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candlelight (usually uncountable, plural candlelights)

1. The light emitted by a candle.
   • 1912, Cecil Barber, “Standchen”, in The Living Age, volume 275, page 426:

     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.

   • 2013, Will Moody, Candlelight Reflections, page 65:

     Cradled in the arms of Night, the gleam of moon and candlelight bring images alive from days gone by.

   • 2021, JongHwa Lee, Chuyun Oh, Yong-Chan Kim, The Candlelight Movement, Democracy, and Communication in Korea, page 1969:

     Using 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, […]

2. (archaic) The evening, when darkness falls and it is time to light candles.
   • 1896, Walter Germain, The Complete Bachelor: Manners for Men, page 10:

     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 .

   • 2005, Jacqueline Barbara Carr, After the Siege: A Social History of Boston 1775-1800, page 35:

     The 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."

   • 2017, Elaine Stienon, Children of a Northern Kingdom:

     As Marie glances at the window, she sees that the day has gone; it is almost candlelight.

• candlelight dinner
• candlelight vigil

• candlelit