Candlepin

/ˈkændəlˌpɪn/ noun

Definition

A bowling pin that is thinner and taller than a standard bowling pin, used in a regional bowling game.

Etymology

Compound of 'candle' and 'pin,' named for the pins' slender, candle-like shape. This regional variant of bowling emerged in New England in the 1880s and remains popular in that area.

Kelly Says

Candlepin bowling was invented in Worcester, Massachusetts, and it's so regionally specific that most Americans have never heard of it—but it's wildly popular in New England and remains the only bowling style allowed in some historic alleys!

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