pendant and pendent

A pendant is a piece of jewelry that hangs from a chain worn around the neck.

Pendent means hanging or suspended.

Pendant and Pendent

Occasionally, there is confusion over the words pendant and pendent.

The word pendant is usually a noun which means a piece of jewelry that hangs from a chain worn around the neck. For example:

Custom has it that wearing the Buddha pendant below the chest is a sign of disrespect.
Cherie Blair wore a pendant to ward off evil spirits.

Like most nouns, the word pendant can also be used as an adjective:

Princess Kate Middleton's diamond pendant.

The word pendent is an adjective which means dangling, hanging, or suspended. For example:

Water Avens is an attractive perennial plant with pretty pendent flowers of purple, pink, and orange.

A pendent light

Snowdrops are pendent flowers.

Help Us To Improve English Grammar Lessons

Please tell us using this form.