Lantern/ˈlæntərn/ Definition 1 of 4Pro Tip 1/3Portable Light Remember, a lantern is a mobile source of light, not fixed in one place. When the power went out, we used a lantern to find our way around the house. Pro Tip 2/3Many Shapes Lanterns can come in different shapes like round, square, or cylindrical. She bought a round lantern for the camping trip. Pro Tip 3/3Various Uses Lanterns are not just for home use; they're also common in camping and fishing. Our camping lantern hung from a tree at the campsite.