A lighthouse or beacon light; a signal light used for navigation or warning at sea.
From Old French 'fanal,' derived from Latin 'fānāl' (torch or beacon), which comes from 'fānum' (shrine or temple). The word originally referred to temple lamps before being applied to maritime lights.
The word 'fanal' connects temples and lighthouses—both were sacred spaces where fire was carefully maintained to guide people, showing how the same word traveled from religious to practical maritime use across centuries.
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