Candelabra
/ˌkændəˈlɑːbrə/noun
A large branched candlestick with multiple lights.
Did you know?Candelabra comes through Latin from candela, and the same candle-root also gave English the word *candle*—a word tied to light, ceremony, and the ancient act of making darkness visible.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kand-
“to shine, glow”
Latin
Latin
candela
“a candle, light, or lamp”
Late Latin
Latin
candelabrum
“a candlestick or lampstand”
Italian
Italian
candelabro
“a branched candlestick”
Modern English
English
candelabra
“a branched candlestick with multiple holders”
Explore more surprising origins