A pendant is a piece of jewelry that hangs from a chain or cord worn around the neck. The pendant itself is the decorative part: it might be a locket holding a tiny photograph, a carved stone, a silver star, or a gold cross. When someone wears a necklace, the chain goes around their neck and the pendant dangles in front.

Pendants can be simple or elaborate, expensive or handmade. Some people wear pendants with special meaning, like a grandmother's locket or a religious symbol. Others choose pendants simply because they look beautiful. Athletes might wear a pendant with their jersey number, while someone who loves horses might wear one shaped like a horseshoe.

The word pendant comes from a French word meaning “hanging,” which describes exactly what it does. You might also see the word used more broadly to describe anything that hangs or dangles, though this usage is less common. An architect might call a hanging light fixture a pendant light, though most people would just call it a hanging lamp.