Definition

1. Noun:
   • A transparency mounted in a frame; viewed with a slide projector: A "lantern slide" is a physical photographic positive image on a transparent base, such as glass or film, which is placed inside a protective frame. It is designed to be projected onto a screen using a specialized light source, historically a "magic lantern" or a modern slide projector.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The lecturer illustrated his talk with a series of historical lantern slides.
  • We found a box of old lantern slides in the attic, depicting scenes from the early 20th century.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: The term "lantern slide" is strongly associated with the "magic lantern," an early type of image projector used from the 17th to the early 20th centuries. It often refers specifically to glass-mounted slides from that era.
  • The museum's collection includes magic lanterns and hundreds of hand-painted lantern slides.

Variants and Related Words

• Slide (n): A more general modern term for a small transparent photograph for projection, often in a cardboard or plastic mount. While "slide" is now more common, "lantern slide" specifies the historical or formal mounted type.

  • He prepared his slides for the conference presentation.

• Transparency (n): A sheet of transparent material bearing a photographic image, which can be viewed by transmitted light. A lantern slide is a type of mounted transparency.

  • The artist created a color transparency for the overhead projector.

Synonyms

• Projection slide: A slide intended for projection.
• Glass slide: Emphasizes the material, common for historical lantern slides.

Related Phrases

• Magic lantern slide: A direct synonym that explicitly references the historical projection device.
  • The show featured original magic lantern slides from the 1890s.

Noun

1. a transparency mounted in a frame; viewed with a slide projector