indirect lighting

American  

noun

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

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indirect lighting British  

noun

1. reflected or diffused light from a concealed source

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Etymology

Origin of indirect lighting

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

The coffers have their own rhythm; indirect lighting turns the hollows into shadow gradients.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026

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

Masked lanterns adorn the arched ceiling; on the columns are shell-screened lamps and at night the sweep of the promenade is magnified by the indirect lighting effects.

From The Architecture and Landscape Gardening of the Exposition A Pictorial Survey of the Most Beautiful Achitectural Compositions of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition by Mullgardt, Louis Christian