Friar's Lanthorn
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
One of the many names given to the Will o' the Wisp, Friars Major (Fiatres major es)* The Domini- cans.
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 “Friar's Lanthorn” mean?
One of the many names given to the Will o' the Wisp, Friars Major (Fiatres major es)* The Domini- cans.
Is “Friar's Lanthorn” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.