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

Etymology

Origin of light bulb

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

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

"The filters would be very good insulation, and someone had a light bulb moment and probably bought this as scrap off their manager," he said.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

In contrast, regulatory bodies like the FTC have been part of the federal government for longer than the light bulb.

From Slate • Dec. 11, 2025

“That’s when the light bulb went off for me. Why not bring some of these beautiful plants from the hills into our yard?”

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 26, 2025

“The annual light bulb harvest. We had to go quite far up the road before we had enough. Even so, it took two Christmases.”

From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien