tornado lantern
- noun
- /tɔrˈneɪdoʊ ˈlæntərn/
- US
- The tornado lantern was an essential tool for their outdoor adventures, protecting the flame from the wind.
Examples
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He polished the glass chimney of the tornado lantern until it shone brightly.
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The old barn still had a tornado lantern hanging by the door.
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During the storm, they lit a tornado lantern to keep the darkness away.
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The tornado lantern provided light during the storm.
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We bought two tornado lanterns for the camping trip.
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They used a tornado lantern while camping in the forest to provide light at night.
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During the power outage, the family relied on their tornado lantern to illuminate the house.
Synonyms
A lamp with a glass chimney and metal top that protects the flame from wind
A portable oil lamp with a glass cover that protects the flame from wind
An oil lamp with a glass chimney that protects the flame from wind
A portable oil lamp with a glass cover that protects the flame from wind and rain
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun phrase is directly compositional: a 'tornado lantern' is a lantern associated with tornado/windy conditions, so a learner who knows 'tornado' and 'lantern' can infer it is designed to protect a flame from strong winds or be used during storms. Specific technical details (glass chimney, perforated lid) are implementation-level and not required to grasp the basic meaning, making the expression predictable from its parts.
Etymology
Tornado lantern comes from the lamp's ability to keep a flame alive in strong winds. Its tall glass chimney and metal lid protect the fire from the storm, so the name tells us it can 'stay lit' in bad weather.