lite

¹ American  

[lahyt] / laɪt /

adjective

1. noting a commercial product that is low in calories or low in any substance considered undesirable, as compared with a product of the same type: used especially in labeling or advertising commercial products.

   lite beer.

2. noting a version that is comparatively less extreme, profound, advanced, etc., than the typical version (often used postpositively): The lite version of the app is available for mobile download.

   The film glossed over the dangers of the experiment with a science-lite explanation.

   The lite version of the app is available for mobile download.

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noun

1. light.

-lite ² American  

1. a combining form used in the names of minerals or fossils.

   aerolite; chrysolite.

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lite ¹ British  

/ laɪt /

adjective

1. (of food and drink) containing few calories or little alcohol or fat

2. denoting a more restrained or less extreme version of a person or thing

   reggae lite

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-lite ² British  

combining form

1. (in names of minerals) stone Compare -lith

   chrysolite

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Usage

What does -lite mean? The combining form -lite is used like a suffix meaning “mineral” or "fossil." It is often used in scientific terms, especially in mineralogy. The form -lite comes from Greek líthos, meaning “stone.” The Latin translation of líthos is saxum, meaning “stone,” as in saxifrage, a plant named for its tendency to grow in the clefts in rocks. What are variants of -lite?In some rare instances, -lite is spelled with a -y-, becoming -lyte. Want to know more? Read our Words That Use article about -lyte.

Other Word Forms

• liteness noun

Etymology

Origin of lite¹

First recorded in 1965–70; an informal, simplified spelling of light ² ( def. )

Origin of -lite²

< French, simplified form of -lithe < Greek líthos stone; similarly German -lit, earlier -lith

Explanation

Lite is how many advertisers and companies spell "light," to describe a product that has less fat, fewer calories, and so on. For example, lite cream cheese is the choice of many dieters. If you add lite to the beginning of a word, it usually means lower in calories. Lite beer, sodas, and cookies all contain fewer calories than the regular versions. If you hyphenate lite at the end of a word, it suggests something is lower in substance than the original, like a political leader whose speech to voters might be policy-lite, meaning it does not focus just on laws. Otherwise, you're better off with the light spelling.

Example Sentences

Back in the speakeasy lounge, guests favor lite fare like charcuterie and pork belly sliders from a menu curated by chef Travis Allen and culinary director Thomas Boemer, a multi-time James Beard award nominee.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

A "lite" version of the Blued app remains available on Chinese app stores, according to checks by the BBC.

From BBC • Nov. 11, 2025

It feels, on the ground, like Y2K lite.

From Slate • Jul. 19, 2024

For once, Bill Plaschke went lite on the hyperbole and created an accurate image of who LeBron James has become.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 30, 2022

There’s the constant lite FM, which occasionally borders on dangerously funky, coming out of the nurses’ station whether Smitty or Howard is behind it.

From "It’s Kind of a Funny Story" by Ned Vizzini