A candlestick is a holder designed to support a candle and catch the wax that drips down as it burns. Before electric lights were invented, candlesticks were essential household items found in every home, from humble cottages to grand palaces. People carried them from room to room for light, placed them on dining tables for meals, and kept them by their bedsides for reading.

Candlesticks come in countless designs. Some are simple wooden or metal stems with a cup-shaped top to hold the candle. Others are ornate silver or brass pieces with wide bases to catch dripping wax and handles for carrying. A candelabra is a fancy candlestick with multiple branches, each holding its own candle.

Today, most people use candlesticks for decoration or special occasions rather than everyday lighting. You might see them on a holiday dinner table or as part of a centerpiece. The word also appears in old books and historical stories, where characters light candlesticks to see in the dark or carry them through shadowy hallways.

In financial markets, a candlestick chart uses shapes that look like candles to show how stock prices changed over time, though that meaning has nothing to do with actual candles.