Usage Note
Lanterne refers to a lantern or street lamp, and features in the vivid idiom éclairer la lanterne de quelqu'un, meaning 'to enlighten someone' or 'to clue someone in'. The related lanterne rouge ('red lantern') denotes the last-placed competitor in a race. La fête des Lanternes is the Chinese lantern festival, well known in France.
Examples
"La vieille lanterne éclairait la ruelle."
Natural Translation
The old lantern lit up the alley.
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