I have just watched an episode of Young Apprentice where the teenagers were engaged in a variation on the usual "treasure hunt" task. Mostly it was unremarkable but I did find it amusing that one team spent the whole episode discussing the meaning of "candelabrum" without managing - even once - to pronounce the word correctly. Presuming that the use of a dictionary is banned (surely, if it isn't, SOMEONE should have thought of it.) but even so it isn't that uncommon a word. They still didn't know by the end of the program when Alan Sugar had to tell them.

Besides that, Bob, it's one of those words that is fairly easy to just figure out what it means, wouldn't you think?

I was on a word board before starting WC, which was prior to July, 2002. I remember then I used a dictionary for all my word questions. Once, when I mentioned that, someone asked why I didn't just use the online dictionaries. Since then, I haven't used a real dictionary in ages. That is kinda sad, really, because they have a lot more detail. Do others here use real dictionaries, rather than online ones?

So far as I can tell it is one of those strange words whose plural means that same as its singular, both candelabra and candelabrum meaning:

"...Branched candlestick; ornamental; has several lights..."

Kids today. Get off my lawn!

quote:

one team spent the whole episode discussing the meaning of "candelabrum" without managing - even once - to pronounce the word correctly.

Assuming there was a dictionary available and also assuming they were aware they were not pronouncing the word correctly. If I didn't know it, I would on first seeing it think it might be can-DEL-a-brum.