candlelight

American

[kan-dl-lahyt] / ˈkæn dlˌlaɪt /

noun

the light of a candle.
a dim artificial light.
twilight; dusk.

candlelight British

/ ˈkændəlˌlaɪt /

noun

1. the light from a candle or candles
  
  they ate by candlelight
2. ( as modifier )
  
  a candlelight dinner
dusk; evening

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of candlelight

before 1000; Middle English candel-liht, Old English candel-lēoht. See candle, light ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Otherwise, Veloso relied on the sun, candlelight and fire to illuminate his shots.

From Los Angeles Times

“Dark restaurants, candlelight, tablecloth restaurants, Sinatra music, that whole vibe of the ‘Italian restaurant’ lends itself well to romance, and spaghetti and meatballs just happen to be the most iconic ‘Italian’ dish.”

From Salon

Nearby, St Philip's in the Hills Episcopal Church hosted a candlelight vigil for Nancy Guthrie, which many in the neighbourhood attended.

From BBC

Beneath the glow of the candlelight, I can see Willa’s initials imprinted on the cover.

From Literature

I even wrote my diary entries by candlelight.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023