backlit
Americanadjective
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illuminated from behind.
The space probe was able to capture backlit images of Saturn’s rings from the far side of its moons.
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Electronics. (of a flat-panel screen) illuminated by a backlight; able to show an image, even in low light, because a light source is projected behind the screen, creating a contrast for the user.
Backlit screens on phones and tablets have been shown to disrupt sleep patterns when used at bedtime.
adjective
Etymology
Origin of backlit
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.
Wright’s English subjects are, like his contemporary Edward Gibbon’s Romans, backlit by a skepticism whose coherence derives from the Enlightenment confidence in objective reason.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 14, 2026
Many of the lavish amenities sit on the terrace level of the home, which holds a backlit onyx bar and a full second kitchen.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2025
In another photo, Lil Nas X poses in front of a backlit mirror as he wears a gold gown, white cowboy boots and a tiara.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2025
The film’s version of “Dancing Through Life” is so backlit that it’s hard to make out characters beyond a blinding white glare, an offense second only to the way Elphaba is filmed in low light.
From Salon ● Nov. 19, 2024
The dogs start barking outside, in a friendly way, and soon Matilde and Santiago are standing in the doorway, backlit by morning sunshine.
From "The Queen of Water" by Laura Resau
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.
