light

1 of 6

noun

ˈlīt 

plural lights

1

a

: something that makes vision possible

b

: the sensation aroused by stimulation of the visual receptors

c

: electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength that travels in a vacuum with a speed of 299,792,458 meters (about 186,000 miles) per second

specifically : such radiation that is visible to the human eye

2

a

: daylight

was up each morning at the first light

—Frank O'Connor

b

: dawn

3

: a source of light: such as

a

: a celestial body

As night fell the lights in the sky multiplied.

b

: candle

put a light in the window

c

: an electric light

4

a

: a color of notable lightness : a light or pale color

—usually plural

Bartlett allows his preliminary wash or grisaille to dry and then applies transparent layers of broken color. Into this wash he adds the lights and darks as they have been mapped out underneath.

—Harley Bartlett

b

lights plural : clothing that is light in color

always washed his lights separately from his darks

5

archaic : sight sense 4a

6

a

: spiritual illumination

the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it

—John 1:5 (Revised Standard Version)

b

: inner light

c

: enlightenment

reaching out and groping for a pathway to the light

—B. N. Cardozo

d

: truth

7

a

: public knowledge

facts brought to light

b

: a particular aspect or appearance presented to view

saw the matter in a different light

8

: a particular illumination

9

: something that enlightens or informs

shed some light on the problem

10

: a medium (such as a window) through which light is admitted

11

lights plural : a set of principles, standards, or opinions

worship according to one's lights

—Adrienne Koch

12

: a noteworthy person in a particular place or field

a literary light among current writers

see also leading light

13

: a particular expression of the eye

listened with a fiery light burning in her eyes

—Sherwood Anderson

14

a

: lighthouse, beacon

b

: traffic light

15

: the representation of light in art

16

: a flame for lighting something (such as a cigarette)

light

2 of 6

adjective (1)

lighter; lightest

1

: having light : bright

a light airy room

2

a

: not intense in color, coloring, or pigmentation : not dark : pale

light hair

b

of colors : medium in saturation and high in lightness

light blue

3

of coffee : served with extra milk or cream

light

3 of 6

verb (1)

lit ˈlit  or lighted; lighting

intransitive verb

1

: to become light : brighten

—usually used with up

her face lit up

2

: to take fire

3

: to ignite something (such as a cigarette)

—often used with up

transitive verb

1

: to set fire to

2

a

: to conduct with a light : guide

b

: illuminate

rockets light up the sky

c

: animate, brighten

a smile lit up her face

light

4 of 6

adjective (2)

1

a

: having little weight : not heavy

b

: designed to carry a comparatively small load

a light truck

c

: having relatively little weight in proportion to bulk

aluminum is a light metal

d

: containing less than the legal, standard, or usual weight

a light coin

2

a

: of little importance : trivial

b

: not abundant

light rain

a light lunch

3

a

: easily disturbed

a light sleeper

b

: exerting a minimum of force or pressure : gentle

a light touch

c

: resulting from a very slight pressure : faint

light print

4

a

: easily endurable

a light illness

b

: requiring little effort

light work

5

: capable of moving swiftly or nimbly

light on his feet

6

a

: frivolous sense 1a

light conduct

b

: lacking in stability : changeable

light opinions

c

: sexually promiscuous

7

: free from care : cheerful

8

: less powerful but usually more mobile than usual for its kind

light cavalry

a light cruiser

9

a

: made with a lower calorie content or with less of some ingredient (such as salt, fat, or alcohol) than usual

b

: having a relatively mild flavor

10

a

: easily digested

a light soup

b

: well leavened

a light crust

11

: coarse and sandy or easily pulverized

light soil

12

: dizzy, giddy

felt light in the head

13

: intended chiefly to entertain

light verse

light comedy

14

a

: carrying little or no cargo

the ship returned light

b

: producing goods for direct consumption by the consumer

light industry

15

: not bearing a stress or accent

a light syllable

16

: having a clear soft quality

a light voice

17

: being in debt to the pot in a poker game

three chips light

18

: short sense 5d

light on experience

19

: casual, occasional

a light smoker

lightish

ˈlī-tish 

adjective

light

5 of 6

adverb

1

: lightly

2

: with little baggage

travel light

light

6 of 6

verb (2)

lit ˈlit  or lighted; lighting

intransitive verb

1

: dismount

2

: settle, alight

a bird lit on the lawn

3

: to fall unexpectedly

—usually used with on or upon

4

: to arrive by chance : happen

—usually used with on or upon

lit upon a solution

Phrases

in the light of

1

: from the point of view of

2

or in light of : in view of

In light of their findings, new procedures were established.

light into

: to attack forcefully

I lit into that food until I'd finished off the heel of the loaf

—Helen Eustis

Synonyms

Noun

• blaze
• flare
• fluorescence
• glare
• gleam
• glow
• illumination
• incandescence
• luminescence
• radiance
• shine

Adjective (1)

• ablaze
• alight
• bright
• brightened
• illuminated
• illumined
• lightsome
• lit
• lighted

Verb (1)

• burn
• enkindle
• fire
• ignite
• inflame
• enflame
• kindle
• torch

Adjective (2)

• featherlight
• feathery
• lightweight
• underweight
• weightless

Verb (2)

• alight
• land
• perch
• roost
• settle
• touch down

Choose the Right Synonym for light

easy, facile, simple, light, effortless, smooth mean not demanding effort or involving difficulty.

easy is applicable either to persons or things imposing tasks or to activity required by such tasks.

an easy college course

facile often adds to easy the connotation of undue haste or shallowness.

facile answers to complex questions

simple stresses ease in understanding or dealing with because complication is absent.

a simple problem in arithmetic

light stresses freedom from what is burdensome.

a light teaching load

effortless stresses the appearance of ease and usually implies the prior attainment of artistry or expertness.

moving with effortless grace

smooth stresses the absence or removal of all difficulties, hardships, or obstacles.

a smooth ride

Examples of light in a Sentence

Noun

The landscape was bathed in light.

a photograph taken in low light

the light of the moon

a mixture of light and shadow

The windows let fresh air and light into the room.

The lights suddenly went out.

The lights suddenly came on.

the twinkling lights of the city below

the bright lights of Broadway

The lights are on, so there must be somebody at home.

Adjective (1)

the light, airy room is exceptionally cheerful

we painted the walls a light blue

her light skin tends to freckle easily in the sun

Verb (1)

we lit the kindling before adding the heavier logs

the lights from the TV cameras will light this room as though it were high noon

Adjective (2)

the suitcase was as light as a feather after all the clothes were removed

a little light work was all it took to straighten up the room

traffic on the highway seems to be very light today

the dancer was exceptionally light on her feet

light punishment to fit a minor offense

the waves had an especially light foam at their crests because of the strong breeze

Verb (2)

the bird lit on the branch and began to sing

he hurriedly lighted from the bus and started walking up the street

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Making a documentary consists of pushing people from the shadow to the light, and when the film is finished these people go back to their everyday life – to the shadow, in a way. —Leo Barraclough, Variety, 20 Nov. 2024

As has been its custom for years, the Raleigh fixture is now a winter wonderland, decked out with thousands of sparkling lights, dazzling ornaments, Christmas trees, regal Nutcrackers, wreaths and festive garlands. —Katie Peralta Soloff, Axios, 20 Nov. 2024

Adjective

The keyboard’s trademark shallow key travel remains the same, which is a demerit for heavy-handed typists like myself but should delight light-touch Mac users who prefer little to no resistance when typing. —PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024

Some will suggest a light meal of fruits or lean protein an hour ahead of a race while others will advise loading up on pasta the night before. —Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024

Verb

With confetti colors and an appealing blocky design (buffered by rounded edges), these statement pieces are easy to clean and light enough to be moved from playroom to patio without a hitch. —Shoko Wanger, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2024

The tree lighting, led by Santa and local dignitaries, will follow. —Cathy Kozlowicz, Journal Sentinel, 5 Nov. 2024

Adverb

The highlighter gives the skin a light-catching glow, while the balm lends a dewy radiance; the two products can be used separately or together. —Jenny Berg, Vogue, 12 July 2024

Dark spots can indicate the presence of mold, and gray-blackish (or possibly light pink) slimy scum suggests biofilm, a substance secreted by microorganisms. —Staff Author, Health, 18 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English liht, light, going back to Old English lēoht, Anglian lēht, going back to Germanic *leuh-t-, neuter noun (whence also Old Frisian liācht "light," Old Saxon lioht, Middle Dutch licht, lich, Old High German lioht), probably syncopated from an earlier consonantal stem *leuhađa-, as in Gothic liuhaþ "light," derivative of an Indo-European base *leu̯k- "become bright," whence also Old Irish lóchet "flash of lightning," Welsh llug "light, radiance," llug y dydd "daybreak," amlwg "clear, easily seen" (< *ambi-luk- with zero-grade), Latin lūceō, lūcēre "to emit light, shine" (Old Latin, "to cause to shine," with o-grade *lou̯k-), lūc-, lūx "light," Old Church Slavic luča "ray of light," Russian luč (genitive lučá), Bosnian-Croatian-Serbian lûč "kindling wood, torch" (< Slavic *lou̯k-), Old Prussian luckis "piece of firewood," Greek leukós "bright, shining, white," Armenian loys "light," Tocharian B lukṣäṃ "(s/he) brings light to, illuminates,"Sanskrit rócate "(it) shines, is bright," Avestan raociṇt- "brightening," Hittite lukta "it becomes light, dawns"

Note: Gothic liuhaþ has been compared directly with Hittite lukkatt- "dawn, next morning." See also lumen, lunar.

Adjective (1)

Middle English lyht, light, going back to Old English lēoht, Anglian lēht "filled with light, bright, clear," going back to Germanic *leuhta- (whence also Old Frisian liācht, licht "light, bright," Old Saxon lioht, Middle Dutch licht, lecht, Old High German lioht, liuhti), going back to Indo-European *leu̯k-to-, probably verbal adjective from the base *leu̯k- "become bright" — more at light entry 1

Verb (1)

Middle English lihten, lighten "to emit light, shine, dawn, shed light on, light (a fire, a candle), set fire to, illuminate," going back to Old English līohtan, līehtan, Anglian līhtan "to give light, become light, light (a candle)," going back to Germanic *leuhtije- (whence also Old Saxon liuhtan "to shine," Middle Dutch luchten, Old High German liuhten, Gothic liuhtjan "to give light"), weak verb derivative from *leuhta- "bright, light entry 2"

Adjective (2)

Middle English, from Old English lēoht; akin to Old High German līhti light, Latin levis, Greek elachys small

Verb (2)

Middle English, from Old English līhtan; akin to Old English lēoht light in weight

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Adjective (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing light

• a light at the end of the tunnel
• a light bulb goes off/on (in someone's head)
• artificial light
• as light as a feather
• Bengal light
• black light
• bring to light
• cast/shed/throw light on
• come to light
• compact fluorescent light
• compact fluorescent light bulb
• eat light
• eyes light up
• first light
• fog light
• generated/produced more heat than light
• go light on
• green light
• half-light
• hide one's light under a bushel
• hit the light
• idiot light
• in a bad light
• in a different light
• in a good light
• in an unfavorable light
• incandescent light bulb
• inner light
• in someone's light
• in the best light
• in the cold light of day
• jump the light
• key light
• kleig light
• klieg light
• leading light
• light adaptation
• light a fire under (someone)
• light air
• light bread
• light breeze
• light bulb
• light chain
• light curve
• light dawns
• light-emitting diode
• light-fingered
• light-foot
• light-footed
• light guide
• light-handed
• light-headed
• light-headedly
• light-headedness
• light heart
• light heavyweight
• light housekeeping
• light industry
• light into
• light meter
• light-minded
• light-of-love
• light-o'-love
• light on
• light on one's feet
• light on/upon
• light opera
• light out
• light pen
• light pipe
• light pollution
• light quantum
• light-rail
• light reaction
• light reading
• light roast
• light show
• light skinned
• light sleeper
• light snow
• light speed
• light table
• light therapy
• light the way
• light trap
• light up
• light up (something)
• light water
• light-year
• light-years ahead
• light-years away
• make light of
• make short/quick/light work of
• many hands make light work
• more heat than light
• natural light
• night-light
• out like a light
• parking light
• pilot light
• red light
• running light
• Saint Elmo's light
• see the light
• see the light of day
• set light to
• sound-and-light show
• speed of light
• St. Elmo's light
• strobe light
• sweetness and light
• tea light
• tea light candle
• the green light
• the light of someone's life
• traffic light
• travel light
• trick of the light
• trip the light fantastic
• Very light
• vigil light
• wax light
• zodiacal light

Kids Definition

light

1 of 6 noun

ˈlīt 

1

a

: something that makes vision possible

b

: the sensation aroused by stimulation of the visual sense organs

c

: electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength (as infrared, visible, ultraviolet, and X-rays) and traveling in a vacuum with a speed of about 186,000 miles (300,000 kilometers) per second

especially : such radiation that is visible to the human eye

2

: daylight sense 1

by dawn's early light

3

: a source (as a lamp) of light

turn on the light

4

a

: public knowledge

facts brought to light

b

: a particular appearance presented to view

were shown in a bad light by the lawyer

I see the matter in a different light now

5

: a particular illumination

by the light of the moon

6

: something that helps one to know or understand

shed light on a problem

7

: a noted person : leading light

8

a

: lighthouse, beacon

b

: traffic signal

turn left at the next light

9

: a flame for lighting something

light

2 of 6 adjective

1

: having light : bright

a light room

2

: not dark or deep in color : pale

light blue

lightness noun

light

3 of 6 verb

lighted or lit ˈlit  ; lighting

1

: to make or become bright

—often used with up

2

: to cause to burn or begin to burn

—often used with up

3

: to lead with a light

light a guest up the stairs

light

4 of 6 adjective

1

a

: having little or less than usual weight : not heavy

b

: designed to carry a small load

light truck

2

a

: of little importance

b

: not abundant : scanty

light rain

c

: not strong or violent : moderate

light breezes

3

a

: easily disturbed

a light sleeper

b

: putting forth little force or pressure : gentle

a light touch

4

: not hard to bear, do, pay, or digest

light punishment

light exercise

light food

5

: capable of moving swiftly or nimbly

light on one's feet

6

: intended chiefly to entertain

light reading

light verse

7

: made with a lower calorie content or with less of some ingredient (as fat)

light salad dressing

8

: having a spongy or fluffy quality

light pastry

9

: producing goods that will be sold to the people who use them rather than to another manufacturer

light industry

lightly adverb

lightness noun

light

5 of 6 adverb

1

: in a light manner

2

: with little baggage

traveling light

light

6 of 6 verb

lighted or lit ˈlit  ; lighting

1

: to come down out of the air and settle : alight

birds lit on the lawn

2

: to come by chance

lit upon a solution

Etymology

Noun

Old English lēoht "light, that which makes seeing possible"

Adjective

Old English lēoht "not heavy"

Verb

Old English līhtan "to come down off something or out of the air"

Medical Definition

light

1 of 2 noun

ˈlīt 

1

a

: the sensation aroused by stimulation of the visual receptors

b

: an electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range including infrared, visible, ultraviolet, and X-rays and traveling in a vacuum with a speed of about 186,281 miles (300,000 kilometers) per second

specifically : the part of this range that is visible to the human eye

2

: a source of light

light

2 of 2 adjective

variants or lite

: made with a lower calorie content or with less of some ingredient (as salt, fat, or alcohol) than usual

light salad dressing