light bulb

American  

noun

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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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

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

I think it’s just cool to see how people’s brains work and what makes the light bulb go off at certain moments.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 20, 2025

Call it maturity, call it confidence, call it the light bulb going on.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 30, 2025

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