flashlight
Americannoun
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especially British, torch. a small, portable electric lamp powered by dry batteries, LEDs, or a tiny generator.
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a light that flashes, such as a lighthouse beacon.
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any source of artificial light as used in flash photography.
noun
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Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): torch. a small portable electric lamp powered by one or more dry batteries
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Sometimes shortened to: flash. photog the brief bright light emitted by an electronic flash unit
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a light that flashes, used for signalling, in a lighthouse, etc
Etymology
Origin of flashlight
Explanation
A flashlight is a light that's small enough to hold in your hand and carry around. When you're camping, it's useful to bring a flashlight so you can find your sleeping bag in the dark tent. Most flashlights are powered with batteries, although some of them can be charged in the sun and use the stored solar energy for power. All flashlights are portable, basically small lamps that fit easily in your hand, your pocket, or your backpack. In Britain, a flashlight is often called a torch. The earliest versions of flashlights were invented around 1899.
Vocabulary lists containing flashlight
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 2007, they won best rock instrumental performance for the magnificently-titled The Wizard Turns on the Giant Silver Flashlight and Puts On His Werewolf Moccasins.
From BBC • Jan. 31, 2025
For example, NASA’s Lunar Flashlight, another CubeSat space probe that will ride to the moon onboard a later launch, is designed to search for water ice deposits there.
From Scientific American • Aug. 23, 2022
Flashlight in hand, Tiba was concerned because wild boars had been raiding her corn, according to the village chief, Faris.
From Slate • Aug. 6, 2019
FRI-SAT Scary haunted attraction for ages 12 and older; Flashlight Fright Nights, 7-11 p.m.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 19, 2018
After about an hour, HairySpiders and Flashlight woke up and returned, on wobbly legs, to their den.
From "Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
