Argand Lamp
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
A lamp with a circular wick, through which a current of air flows, to supply oxygen to the flame, and increase its brilliancy. Invented by Aime Argand, 1789.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Argand Lamp” mean?
A lamp with a circular wick, through which a current of air flows, to supply oxygen to the flame, and increase its brilliancy. Invented by Aime Argand, 1789.
Is “Argand Lamp” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.