light bulb

American  

noun

• light bulbs
  plural

1. an electric light.

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light bulb British  

noun

1. Sometimes shortened to: bulb. a glass bulb containing a gas, such as argon or nitrogen, at low pressure and enclosing a thin metal filament that emits light when an electric current is passed through it

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• light bulbs
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of light bulb

First recorded in 1880–85

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

light bulb

To borrow another setup for a joke: How many patriotic optimists does it take to turn on a light bulb?

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2026

Among the answers: a small ink-stained mahogany desk, an antique light bulb, a brown leather flight suit and a baseball jersey.

From Barron's ● May 29, 2026

Adapted from a bestselling novel of the same name, it stars Juno Temple as a woman who gets to experience life with a different partner every time she changes the light bulb in her attic.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2026

Blog comment sections were notoriously dynamic, full of debate and discussion and lots of light bulb moments for writers and readers alike.

From Slate ● Mar. 31, 2026

Finally the tunnel expanded and its core became so brilliant that I felt we were in the center of a gigantic million-watt light bulb.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

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