lamp

noun

1
a
: any of various devices for producing light or sometimes heat: such as
(1)
: a vessel with a wick for burning an inflammable liquid (such as oil) to produce light
(2)
: a glass bulb or tube that emits light produced by electricity (such as an incandescent light bulb or fluorescent lamp)
b
: a decorative appliance housing a lamp that is usually covered by a shade
2
: a celestial body
3
: a source of intellectual or spiritual illumination
4
: eye sense 1a
usually used in plural

Examples of lamp in a Sentence

I didn't realize it had gotten so dark in the room until my wife came in and turned on the lamp, momentarily blinding me.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The street lamps of the town below now came into view and the floodlit lots of its closed shops. Greg Jackson, The New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2024 Other details continue the embrace of color like the orange-and-white tiles in the kitchen, the wallpaper with a Roy Lichtenstein look in the children’s bathroom, and the lamps with warm gradients found in the principal bathroom. Marta Sader, Architectural Digest, 2 Nov. 2024 The whole family would gather around the lamp at night. Graham Averill, Outside Online, 31 Oct. 2024 Held along the river Saryu, the event saw thousands of volunteers illuminate the city in a captivating display that stretched across almost one mile, setting a new Guinness World Record and surpassing last year's total of 2.2 million lamps. Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 31 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lamp 

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French lampe, from Latin lampas, from Greek, from lampein to shine; akin to Hittite lap- to burn

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of lamp was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near lamp

Cite this Entry

“Lamp.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lamp. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

lamp

noun
: a device for producing light or heat

Medical Definition

lamp

noun
: any of various devices for producing light or heat see kromayer lamp, slit lamp

More from Merriam-Webster on lamp

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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