Pendant or Pendent?

by Craig Shrives

What Is the Difference between "Pendant" and "Pendent"?

"Pendant" and "pendent" are easy to confuse because they both relate to something hanging and they sound almost identical (i.e., they are nearly perfect homonyms).
  • "A pendant" is a piece of jewelry that hangs from a chain worn around the neck.
    • What a lovely diamond pendant! correct tick
  • "Pendent" means "hanging" or "suspended."
    • The Christmas tree has red and gold pendent lights from each branch. correct tick

More about Pendant

The word "pendant" is usually a noun meaning "a piece of jewelry that hangs from a chain worn around the neck."

Example sentences with "pendant":
  • Custom has it that wearing the Buddha pendant below the chest is a sign of disrespect. correct tick
  • Cherie Blair wore a pendant to ward off evil spirits. correct tick
Like most nouns, the word "pendant" can also be used as an adjective:
  • She wore a diamond pendant necklace. correct tick
diamond pendant

Princess Kate Middleton's diamond pendant

More about Pendent

The word "pendent" is an adjective meaning "dangling," "hanging," or "suspended."

Example sentences with "pendent":
  • Water Avens is an attractive perennial plant with pretty pendent flowers of purple, pink, and orange. correct tick
diamond pendant

A pendent light

diamond pendant

Snowdrops are pendent flowers.

pendant or pendent?

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See Also

jewelry or jewellery? adverse or averse? affect or effect? appraise or apprise? avenge or revenge? bare or bear? complement or compliment? dependant or dependent? discreet or discrete? disinterested or uninterested? e.g. or i.e.? envy or jealousy? imply or infer? its or it's? material or materiel? poisonous or venomous? practice or practise? principal or principle? cannot or can not? who's or whose? What are adjectives? Dependant and dependent Glossary of easily confused words