corpse candle

noun — 2 senses

corpse candle

noun
1

A thick candle formerly used at a wake (pre-internment event).

2

A luminous appearance, resembling a candle flame, sometimes seen in churchyards and other damp places, superstitiously regarded as portending death.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.