Censerlike

Censerlike is an adjective used to describe objects, forms, or motifs that resemble a censer, the vessel used for burning incense in religious and ceremonial contexts. A censer traditionally consists of a bowl or chamber to hold the incense, a perforated lid or grille to let smoke escape, and often chains or a stand for suspension.

As a descriptor, censerlike can refer to physical resemblance in shape—such as a hanging metal vessel with a rounded body and pierced details—or to a symbolic association with ritual or incense-bearing imagery. In art and design, censerlike forms may appear in lighting fixtures, sculptures, or decorative vessels that mimic the airy, openwork silhouette of a traditional censer.

The term is formed by adding the suffix -like to censer and is primarily used in descriptive criticism, catalog entries, or stylistic analyses rather than in technical terminology. It is common in discussions of historical or contemporary decorative arts where researchers note affinities with liturgical or ceremonial objects.

Related terms include censer, thurible, incense burner, lamp, and lantern, which describe related objects or motifs that may share a censerlike sensibility without being exact reproductions.