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indirect lighting

American

noun

reflected or diffused light, used especially in interiors to avoid glare or shadows.

indirect lighting British

noun

reflected or diffused light from a concealed source

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of indirect lighting

First recorded in 1920–25

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.

Asymmetrical windows throughout both floors of the home provide indirect lighting for Kai’s artworks, responding to the house’s geometry and mimicking its playfulness.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 13, 2025

For a dreamy mood, indirect lighting is much softer than direct, overhead lighting.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 7, 2023

The company also added WiZ bar and floor lights as options for indirect lighting and wall-washing, which are available now.

From The Verge • Aug. 9, 2022

African mahogany covers the ceiling, which is sloped here and there; indirect lighting casts a glow over the interior, outfitted with a handsome communal table.

From Washington Post • Jul. 23, 2019

It was built of cheery iron-spot brick in an improved Gothic style, and the main auditorium had indirect lighting from electric globes in lavish alabaster bowls.

From Babbitt by Lewis, Sinclair

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023