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The Collaborative International Dictionary
Chandlery

Chandlery \Chan"dler*y\, n. Commodities sold by a chandler. [1913 Webster] ||

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
chandlery

c.1600, from Middle French chandelerie, from chandelier (see chandler).

Wiktionary
chandlery

n. 1 The art or trade of candle-making. 2 A business, shop or warehouse used in candle-making. 3 An operation (usually, a business) which provides supplies. 4 The merchandise of a chandler.

WordNet
chandlery
  1. n. candles and other commodities sold by a chandler

  2. a storeroom where candles are kept

Wikipedia
Chandlery

A chandlery was originally the office in a medieval household responsible for wax and candles, as well as the room in which the candles were kept. It could be headed by a chandler. The office was subordinated to the kitchen, and only existed as a separate office in larger households. Whether a separate office or not, the function was naturally an important one, in a time before electric light, and when production of candles was often done privately. It was closely connected with other offices of the household, such as the ewery and the scullery. With this use, the term is largely obsolete today but can refer to a candle business. As such, a "chandler" is a person who sells candles.

Soap was a natural byproduct of candlemaking and by the 18th century most commercial chandlers dealt in candles and soap, although even then many were becoming general dealers. As these were the dealers that provided ships' stores, chandlery came to refer to a shop selling nautical items for ships and boats, although for a time they were called ship-chandleries to distinguish them. Americans used the term chandlery for these ship-chandleries, but tended to prefer the term chandler's shop. Both terms are still in use. The job function and title, chandler, still exists as someone who works in the chandlery business or manages a chandler's shop.

The term chandelier, at one time a ceiling fitting that held several candles together, is still used. However, today chandeliers are ornamental electrical lighting fixtures.

Usage examples of "chandlery".

The way was lined with shops, sheds, shipyards and sail lofts, ropewalks and chandleries, all very busy.

Of all the buildings that had held factors or traders, only the chandlery remained occupied, and a thin trail of smoke wound upward from the chimney.

Once the patrol passed, with the blur shield still around him, Cerryl slipped along the side street toward the chandlery Lyasa had placed on the list.

Both were pinned against the chandlery wall with lances against their chests.

He could feel the eyes on him as he, Lyasa, and the lancer column rode away from the chandlery and then toward the square on the way back to his headquarters.

There was the UPS driver who delivered parts to the Shipshape Chandlery, a slightly plump man in his early forties.

My grandfather, for whom I was named, was a hero of the Revolution, and the founder of a ship chandlery which made him an exceedingly wealthy man.

The girl in the marina office, next to the chandlery on the far side of the hotel, seemed rather startled by their arrival, perhaps understandably enough.

Almost no one comes to the chandleries or the shops herenot during the day.

Esad'sa store of odd items, neither a chandlery nor a miller's market nor a weaver's shop, but a place that held items partaking selectedly of all.

There hadn't been any food left out at the Meal Hall, and he hadn't seen any street vendors or even an open chandlery on the way back from the south gate.

He should have saved some of the cheese he'd bought at the chandlery two days earlier.

Even the chandlery had none, or so littlefifty cubits' worth of light lineas to be worthless.

Airhaven's single thoroughfare was a hoop of lightweight alloy deckplates lined with shops and stalls, chandleries, cafes and airshipmen's hotels.

Since the first day she had started as invoice clerk in his father's boat and chandlery business, Jack had been a real friend.