'Pendant' literally means 'the hanging thing' — from Latin 'pendere' (to hang), kin to 'pendulum.'
A piece of jewelry that hangs from a chain worn around the neck; anything that hangs or is suspended from something above.
From Old French 'pendant' (hanging, a hanging ornament), the present participle of 'pendre' (to hang, to be suspended), from Latin 'pendēre' (to hang, to be suspended, to weigh), from PIE *pewg- or *spend- / *pend- (to hang, to pull, to stretch). PIE *pend- also yielded Latin 'pondus' (weight), 'pendulum' (that which hangs and swings), 'append' (hang onto), 'depend' (hang from), 'suspend' (hang under), 'impend' (hang over), 'expend' (weigh out money), 'spend,' 'pound' (unit of weight, from Latin 'pondus'), 'ponder' (to weigh in the mind), and 'compensate' (weigh together). The word
The English word 'pending' (awaiting resolution, not yet decided) is the same word as 'pendant' — both from the present participle of Latin 'pendere' (hanging). A legal case that is 'pending' is literally hanging — suspended in mid-air, not yet settled. A pendant hangs from a chain; a pending case hangs in the legal system