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 (Zoöl.), any one of several species of large, handsome,
hemipterous insects of the genera Laternaria, Fulgora, and allies, of
the family Fulgoridæ. 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 (Zoöl.), 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.
Lan"tern-jawed` (?), a. Having lantern jaws or long, thin jaws; as, a
lantern-jawed person.
Lan"tha*nite (ln"th*nt), n. (Min.) Hydrous carbonate of lanthanum,
found in tabular white crystals.
Lan"tha*num (-nm), n. [NL., fr. Gr. lanqa`nein to lie hid, to be
concealed.] (Chem.) A rare element of the group of the earth metals,
allied to aluminium. It occurs in certain rare minerals, as cerite,
gadolinite, orthite, etc., and was so named from the difficulty of
separating it from cerium, didymium, and other rare elements with which
it is usually associated. Atomic weight 138.5. Symbol La. [Formerly
written also lanthanium.]
Lan"tho*pine (?), n. [Gr. lanqa`nein to lie hid + E. opium.] (Chem.) An
alkaloid found in opium in small quantities, and extracted as a white
crystalline substance.