pendeloque
/ˌpɒndəˈlɒk/
Etymology
Borrowed from French pendeloque (“hanging object; religious medallion, probably in pendant form; jewel hanging from an earring; small crystal piece, especially one hanging from a chandelier”) [and other forms], from Old French pendeloche (“penis”) (apparently a hapax legomenon), from pendeler (“to dangle”) + -oche (suffix forming nouns from verbs), with the ending possibly influenced by breloque (“charm for a bracelet”). Pendeler is derived from pendre (“to hang”) + -eler (frequentative suffix); and pendre from Latin pendere, the present active infinitive of pendeō (“to hang (down)”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend- (“to stretch”).
pendeloque means A drop-shaped diamond or other gem used as a pendant; also, a piece of jewellery in pendant form. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
pendeloque is pronounced /ˌpɒndəˈlɒk/.
Why “pendeloque” is a great word
PENDELOQUE — [Noun] A drop-shaped gemstone, cut or set to be worn as a pendant. From French pendeloque, from Old French pendeloche (a hapax legomenon for "penis"), from pendeler ("to dangle") + -oche (noun-forming suffix), with pendeler derived from pendre ("to hang") + -eler (frequentative suffix); pendre from Latin pendēre ("to hang"), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)pend- ("to stretch"). Unlike a "pendant" (a generic term for any suspended ornament) or a "briolette" (a specifically faceted, drilled pear shape), a pendeloque is defined by its teardrop silhouette and its destiny to be suspended. It is the cold, liquid weight at the end of a fine chain, the captured bead of light trembling above a collarbone, the silent, perfect drop that measures the slow sway of a breath—a jewel whose entire being is an act of graceful surrender to gravity.
noun
- A drop-shaped diamond or other gem used as a pendant; also, a piece of jewellery in pendant form.“[M]y eye was caught by the flashing of the emerald in my sister's ear, for she wore that day the suit of emeralds which had belonged to Jeanne de Consteil, who had married Raval de Pont de Vaux, which were of the brightest colour, and without flaw. A happy thought struck me; perhaps the urchin would exchange his draught for the pendeloque belonging to the ear-ring.”