lamp

[lamp]

noun

1. any of various devices furnishing artificial light, as by electricity or gas.

2. a container for an inflammable liquid, as oil, which is burned at a wick as a means of illumination.

3. a source of intellectual or spiritual light.

   the lamp of learning.

4. any of various devices furnishing heat, ultraviolet, or other radiation.

   an infrared lamp.

5. a celestial body that gives off light, as the moon or a star.

6. a torch.

7. Slang.,  lamps, the eyes.

verb (used with object)

1. Slang.,  to look at; eye.

lamp

/ læmp /

noun

1. 1. any of a number of devices that produce illumination

      an electric lamp

      a gas lamp

      an oil lamp

   2. ( in combination )

      lampshade

2. a device for holding one or more electric light bulbs

   a table lamp

3. a vessel in which a liquid fuel is burned to supply illumination

4. any of a variety of devices that produce radiation, esp for therapeutic purposes

   an ultraviolet lamp

Other Word Forms

• lampless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of lamp¹

1150–1200; Middle English lampe < Old French < Late Latin lampada, for Latin lampas (stem lampad- ) < Greek lampás lamp; akin to lámpē torch, lamp, lámpein to shine

Word History and Origins

Origin of lamp¹

C13 lampe, via Old French from Latin lampas, from Greek, from lampein to shine

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. smell of the lamp, to give evidence of laborious study or effort.

   His dissertation smells of the lamp.

Example Sentences

A massive explosion that destroyed a home in Chino Hills over the weekend was sparked by someone turning on a lamp while the house was filled with gas, according to a neighbor.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Flags started appearing across the country in July, with people installing them on lamp posts, with St George crosses also painted on some mini-roundabouts and pedestrian crossings.

Read more on BBC

The faint light from the lamps seem to grow brighter with her laugh.

Read more on Literature

Their russet hair looked almost gray in the color-stealing light of the moon, but each time they passed beneath a street lamp the auburn sheen glowed like an ember.

Read more on Literature

Ridge tugged at the pull string of a display lamp.

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• flashlight 
• light