\Lan"tern\, n. [F. lanterne, L. lanterna, laterna, from
Gr. ? light, torch. See {Lamp}.]
1. Something inclosing a light, and protecting it from wind,
   rain, etc.; -- sometimes portable, as a closed vessel or
   case of horn, perforated tin, glass, oiled paper, or other
   material, having a lamp or candle within; sometimes fixed,
   as the glazed inclosure of a street light, or of a
   lighthouse light.
2. (Arch.)
   (a) An open structure of light material set upon a roof,
       to give light and air to the interior.
   (b) A cage or open chamber of rich architecture, open
       below into the building or tower which it crowns.
   (c) A smaller and secondary cupola crowning a larger one,
       for ornament, or to admit light; such as the lantern
       of the cupola of the Capitol at Washington, or that of
       the Florence cathedral.
3. (Mach.) A lantern pinion or trundle wheel. See {Lantern
   pinion} (below).
4. (Steam Engine) A kind of cage inserted in a stuffing box
   and surrounding a piston rod, to separate the packing into
   two parts and form a chamber between for the reception of
   steam, etc.; -- called also {lantern brass}.
5. (Founding) A perforated barrel to form a core upon.
6. (Zo["o]l.) See {Aristotle's lantern}.
Note: Fig. 1 represents a hand lantern; fig. 2, an arm
      lantern; fig. 3, a breast lantern; -- so named from the
      positions in which they are carried.
{Dark lantern}, a lantern with a single opening, which may be
   closed so as to conceal the light; -- called also
   {bull's-eye}.
{Lantern fly}, {Lantern carrier} (Zo["o]l.), any one of
   several species of large, handsome, hemipterous insects of
   the genera {Laternaria}, {Fulgora}, and allies, of the
   family {Fulgorid[ae]}. The largest species is {Laternaria
   phosphorea} of Brazil. The head of some species has been
   supposed to be phosphorescent.
{Lantern jaws}, long, thin jaws; hence, a thin visage.
{Lantern pinion}, {Lantern wheel} (Mach.), a kind of pinion
   or wheel having cylindrical bars or trundles, instead of
   teeth, inserted at their ends in two parallel disks or
   plates; -- so called as resembling a lantern in shape; --
   called also {wallower}, or {trundle}.
{Lantern shell} (Zo["o]l.), any translucent, marine, bivalve
   shell of the genus {Anatina}, and allied genera.
{Magic lantern}, an optical instrument consisting of a case
   inclosing a light, and having suitable lenses in a lateral
   tube, for throwing upon a screen, in a darkened room or
   the like, greatly magnified pictures from slides placed in
   the focus of the outer lens.

\Lan"tern\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Lanterned}; p. pr. &
vb. n. {Lanterning}.] [Cf. F. lanterner to hang at the lamp
post, fr. lanterne. See {Lantern}.]
To furnish with a lantern; as, to lantern a lighthouse.