Definition

Noun: 1. A type of bowling pin: A candlepin is a slender, cylindrical pin used in the sport of candlepin bowling. It is significantly thinner and taller than a standard tenpin used in ten-pin bowling.

Usage

The word "candlepin" is used to refer specifically to the pin itself within the context of the sport. It is a countable noun.

Examples

• In candlepin bowling, the candlepins are arranged in a triangular formation at the end of the lane.
• The player knocked down seven candlepins with the first ball.
• Compared to a tenpin, a candlepin is much thinner and does not have a large, rounded bottom.

Advanced Usage

• The term is almost exclusively used in relation to the sport of candlepin bowling, a variation of bowling popular in parts of Canada and New England in the United States.
• The rules of the game involve using smaller balls and leaving fallen pins (called "deadwood") on the lane to be knocked down, which is unique to candlepin bowling.

Variants and Related Words

• Candlepin bowling (n): The name of the sport itself.
• Tenpin (n): The larger, bottle-shaped pin used in the more common ten-pin bowling, often used for comparison.

Synonyms

• Bowling pin (general term)
• Pin (general term within the context of bowling)

Related Phrases

• Set of candlepins: Refers to the full complement of ten pins.
• Dead candlepins or Deadwood: Refers to candlepins that have been knocked down but remain on the lane, which players can then knock into other standing pins.

Noun

1. a bowling pin that is thin by comparison with a tenpin