alight

¹ American  

[uh-lahyt] / əˈlaɪt /

verb (used without object)

alighted, alit, alighting

1. to dismount from a horse, descend from a vehicle, etc.

2. to settle or stay after descending.

   The bird alighted on the tree.

3. to encounter or notice something accidentally.

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alight ² American  

[uh-lahyt] / əˈlaɪt /

adverb

1. provided with light; lighted up.

2. on fire; burning.

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alight ¹ British  

/ əˈlaɪt /

verb

1. (usually foll by from) to step out (of) or get down (from)

   to alight from a taxi

2. to come to rest; settle; land

   a thrush alighted on the wall

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alight ² British  

/ əˈlaɪt /

adjective

1. burning; on fire

2. illuminated; lit up

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Etymology

Origin of alight¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English alighten, Old English ālīhtan; equivalent to a- ³ + light ³ )

Origin of alight²

First recorded before 1000; originally past participle of alight “to light up,” Middle English alihten, Old English onlīhtan, equivalent to a- ¹ + light ¹ )

Explanation

The word alight has two distinct meanings: it can mean coming down or settling in a delicate manner, such as a bird perching, or it can be a rather poetic way to describe something that’s on fire (or “afire”). Just as the word alight has two distinct grammatical forms and meanings, it has two distinct beginnings in the Old English. That period’s word ālīhtan had an original meaning of dismounting, or lightening the load on the horse, and so is the ancestor of the verb we use today that means "to settle or perch." Meanwhile, the word onlīhtan (see the different spelling?) of that same time meant to be on fire, which became our adjectival use of the word.

Example Sentences

Around 3.2% of more than three million accounts tracked by benefits provider Alight had balances above $1 million as of the third quarter, double the figure at the end of 2022.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 8, 2025

Jocelyn Wyatt, the CEO of Alight - a humanitarian organisation that has previously helped pair refugees with Americans - said the new programme benefited sponsors and refugees.

From BBC • Feb. 22, 2023

But now “companies are trying to cut costs,” said Stephan Scholl, chief executive of Alight Solutions, a human capital company.

From Washington Post • Aug. 31, 2022

“Now most wellness programs offer solutions beyond guidance and investment advice,” said Alison Borland, an executive vice president with Alight Solutions.

From New York Times • Jul. 21, 2021

Alight placed above the center of the tank shines through the water, refracting as it ripples.

From "Allegiant" by Veronica Roth

Related Words

• descend
• disembark
• get off
• perch
• touch down