light bulb

noun

variants or lightbulb

ˈlīt-ˌbəlb 

plural light bulbs or lightbulbs

: an electric lamp: such as

a

: one in which a filament gives off light when heated to incandescence by an electric current

called also incandescent, incandescent lamp

b

: one having a coating of fluorescent material on its inner surface that emits visible light : fluorescent lamp

especially : compact fluorescent light

c

: one using LEDs to generate light

Illustration of light bulb

• 1 bulb containing gas
• 2 filament
• 3 connecting and supporting wires
• 4 exhaust tube
• 5 screw base
• 6 base contact

Examples of light bulb in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The president also reversed Biden’s plan to phase out plastic straws in favor of paper ones in the federal government and told Zeldin to roll back efficiency standards on household goods and appliances such as light bulbs, shower heads, and dishwashers. —Varad Mehta, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 7 Mar. 2025

From Thomas Edison's 10,000 unsuccessful attempts before inventing the light bulb to Steve Jobs being fired from Apple, history shows us that failure isn't the opposite of success. —Caroline Castrillon, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025

The light bulb flicks on and Belinda makes the connection, and is able to place that eerily familiar face. —Dan Heching, CNN, 3 Mar. 2025

Each spacecraft’s plutonium core produces a little less juice each year, however—annually losing about four watts, equivalent to a low-power light bulb. —Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 6 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for light bulb

• lightbulb

Kids Definition

lightbulb

noun

light·​bulb ˈlīt-ˌbəlb 

: an electric lamp: as

a

: one in which a filament gives off light when heated by an electric current

called also incandescent lamp

b

: fluorescent lamp