lampshade

American  

[lamp-sheyd] / ˈlæmpˌʃeɪd /

noun

1. a shade, usually translucent or opaque, for shielding the glare of a light source in a lamp or for directing the light to a particular area.

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Etymology

Origin of lampshade

First recorded in 1840–50; lamp + shade

Explanation

A lampshade is a decorative cover that diffuses a lightbulb's brightness. Besides looking pretty, lampshades also prevent a light's glare from temporarily blinding you. If the naked bulb on your lamp casts a stark and blinding light, try putting a lampshade on top. This device does just what its name implies, shading the lamp's light in a pleasant way. Lampshades can be made of fabric, plastic, glass, or paper, and they come in an enormous variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Early 20th-century vaudeville performers created the enduring trope of a man with a lampshade on his head as the wacky life of the party.

Example Sentences

Like her grandfather and father, Ms Kynaston wanted to preserve this evidence and when her dad died, her mum came to live with her a brought the piece of lampshade with her.

From BBC • May 5, 2025

Available in three sizes and five colors, the Mágico is a hand-built and painted stoneware lamp and lampshade.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 27, 2024

In a video released by his campaign in August 2020, Biden is seen backing the car into the garage, where a messy pile of materials appears to include a cardboard box and a lampshade.

From Washington Post • Jan. 13, 2023

These are clearly not designed to be hidden in a lampshade but, rather, to be on display as beautiful light bulbs in open fixtures.

From The Verge • Aug. 26, 2022

Next to the bed there was a little table with a lamp that had a picture of a skinny little black horse right in the lampshade.

From "Bud, Not Buddy" by Christopher Paul Curtis