What's the English name for those drop-like crystal prisms used to scatter the light from a chandelier? I was thinking to buy some on the internet when I realized I don't even know what to search for.
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2I'd call it a dangle or a doohickey or a thingamajig. But never a gadget; gadgets do things, and this just hangs there transparently.– John LawlerAug 7, 2013 at 23:06
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If you're looking to buy on Ebay, chandelier drops generates a list with many variants.– FumbleFingersAug 7, 2013 at 23:11
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1How to call it? Anyway you like, it does not come when you call– mplungjanAug 8, 2013 at 6:33
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@mplungjan LOL– GOTO 0Aug 8, 2013 at 8:34
4 Answers
They're often called pendalogues (click on View chandelier sketch in that link for a "named parts" diagram), or just plain drops (which includes all sorts of shapes besides teardrops).
It's called a Prism. From Wiki: "In optics, a prism is a transparent optical element with flat, polished surfaces that refract light. At least two of the flat surfaces must have an angle between them. The exact angles between the surfaces depend on the application. The traditional geometrical shape is that of a triangular prism with a triangular base and rectangular sides, and in colloquial use "prism" usually refers to this type. Some types of optical prism are not in fact in the shape of geometric prisms. Prisms can be made from any material that is transparent to the wavelengths for which they are designed. Typical materials include glass, plastic and fluorite.
A dispersive prism can be used to break light up into its constituent spectral colors (the colors of the rainbow). Furthermore, prisms can be used to reflect light, or to split light into components with different polarizations."
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The OP uses the word prism in his question. It Is a prism, but I think the OP is looking for the generic term for using such an object in a chandelier. A generic prism won't serve as a replacement part.– jimm101Oct 6, 2016 at 18:24