plural candles
1
: a usually molded or dipped mass of wax or tallow containing a wick that may be burned (as to give light, heat, or scent or for celebration or votive purposes)
2
: something resembling a candle in shape or use
a sulfur candle for fumigating
3
: required effort, expense, or trouble
—usually used in the phrase not worth the candle
4
: candela
5
: a thin, upright new shoot forming from a terminal bud on a pine tree in the spring
Pines grow from the branch tips, which elongate into "candles" in spring, then fatten into mature, needle-covered branches. To minimize pine growth, just pinch off the ends of the candles.—Jim McCausland et al.
candled; candling
ˈkan(d)-liŋ,
ˈkan-dᵊl-iŋ
: to examine by holding between the eye and a light
especially
: to test (eggs) in this way for staleness, blood clots, fertility, and growth
Cite this Entry
“Candle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/candle. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.
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