Candle

A candle is a portable light source in which a wick draws fuel from surrounding solid or semi-solid material and burns it to produce light and heat.

Candle wick: A fibrous strand that draws liquid fuel toward a candle’s flame by capillary action. The wick transports melted wax upward, where heat turns it into combustible vapor.
Paraffin wax: A mixture of solid alkanes derived chiefly from petroleum refining. It is a common candle fuel because it melts readily and burns steadily.
Rushlight: A strip of pith-bearing rush dipped in grease or fat and burned as a simple light source. It provided inexpensive illumination before candles became widely available.
Candlemas: A Christian feast observed on February 2, associated with the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. The feast’s name and customs are linked to the blessing and use of candles.
Oil lamp: A lighting device that burns liquid oil supplied to a wick. Oil lamps use replenishable liquid fuel rather than a solid candle body.
Capillary action: The movement of liquid through narrow spaces caused by surface tension and adhesion. It pulls liquid wax through the candle’s porous wick.
Beeswax: A natural wax secreted by honeybees to build honeycomb. It is a traditional candle material with a higher melting point than many waxes.
Tallow: Rendered animal fat used historically as fuel for lamps and candles. Tallow candles were common but often smoky and malodorous.
Shabbat candles: Candles traditionally lit before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath. Their lighting marks the transition into Shabbat in many Jewish homes.
Kerosene lamp: A lamp that burns kerosene drawn from a reservoir through a wick. It provides longer-lasting, adjustable light from a separate fuel supply.

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