lamplighter

American  

[lamp-lahy-ter] / ˈlæmpˌlaɪ tər /

noun

1. a person employed to light and extinguish street lamps, especially those burning gas.

2. a contrivance for lighting lamps.

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lamplighter British  

/ ˈlæmpˌlaɪtə /

noun

1. (formerly) a person who lit and extinguished street lamps, esp gas ones

2. any of various devices used to light lamps

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Etymology

Origin of lamplighter

First recorded in 1740–50; lamp + lighter ¹

Example Sentences

“Mary Poppins Returns,” starring Emily Blunt as everyone’s favorite magical nanny, and Lin-Manuel Miranda as her Cockney lamplighter pal, is a sequel to “Mary Poppins,” the Oscar-winning 1964 classic.

From Washington Post • Dec. 19, 2018

In “Mary Poppins Returns,” Mr. Miranda’s lamplighter, Jack, leads an athletic dance number, much in the way the chimney sweep Bert led “Step in Time.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 17, 2018

He chose to do “Mary Poppins Returns” next, taking on the role of Jack, a warm-hearted lamplighter with ties to Mary Poppins and her old cohort, Bert.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 1, 2018

Lin Manuel-Miranda, playing a lamplighter, could probably sing a killer “Chim Chim Cher-ee.”

From New York Times • Sep. 12, 2018

A lamplighter some blocks down reached up with his long pole to extinguish the street lamp.

From "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson