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

In 1955, it was upgraded to a 150-pound aluminum ball with 180 light bulbs. —Rachel Treisman, NPR, 31 Dec. 2024

The first New Year's Eve ball – made of iron and wood and decorated with 25-watt light bulbs – made its premiere descent in 1907. —Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 31 Dec. 2024

But don't go digging out your hundred-year-old light bulbs from the closet just yet, there's still more work to be done. —New Atlas, 24 Dec. 2024

Smart light bulbs can be controlled with the click of a button on a mobile phone. —Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 7 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined above

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