lighter
1 Americannoun
verb (used with object)
noun
-
a small portable device for providing a naked flame or red-hot filament to light cigarettes, etc
-
a person or thing that ignites something
noun
Etymology
Origin of lighter1
First recorded in 1545–55; light 1 + -er 1
Origin of lighter2
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at light 3, -er 1
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.
The company’s lighter flash models power AI Overviews and AI Mode, which allow search-engine users to perform complex queries in natural language — far surpassing the keyword matching and ranking techniques of previous generations.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
Several years later, World War I served as the “force multiplier” for newsreels, which benefited from cameras becoming smaller and lighter, and newsreel editors and cameramen more professional.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
Firefighters have made progress against two of them but while lighter winds and cooler temperatures have been forecast on Tuesday, temperatures are feared to be rising again later this week.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
Researchers say the approach could eventually support turbines that are lighter, less expensive, and highly efficient.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 4, 2026
Lighter and lighter La Llorona grew until she was more than translucent; she was a silhouette of radiance.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
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.
