Gasalier

/ɡæzəˈlɪr/ noun

Definition

A chandelier designed to burn gas instead of candles, popular during the 19th century before electric lighting.

Etymology

A portmanteau of 'gas' and 'chandelier,' created in the 19th century as gas lighting became a major innovation in homes and public spaces, replacing candles.

Kelly Says

Gasaliers were the cutting-edge technology of the 1800s—Victorian homes that had gas chandeliers were basically the equivalent of having smart home technology today, and the word itself shows how rapidly people invented new vocabulary for new inventions.

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