A lantern is a portable light with a protective covering, often with transparent sides, used outdoors or in dark places.
From Old French *lanterne*, from Latin *lanterna*, likely from Greek *lamptēr*, meaning lamp or torch. Early lanterns were enclosed oil lamps designed to shield the flame from wind.
Before electricity, a lantern was like a personal force field for fire—keeping the flame alive while you walked through the dark. Even paper lanterns carry the same idea: light carefully caged so it can travel safely.
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