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

Another series, “City Island: USA!,” is a special of six shorts, following Watt, a light bulb, and his best friend, Windy, a kite.

From Los Angeles Times • May 21, 2026

From that light bulb moment, Recondition, which Brown said created every piece with accessibility and style in mind, was born.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 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

Edison’s famous “invention” of the incandescent light bulb on the night of October 21, 1879, improved on many other incandescent light bulbs patented by other inventors between 1841 and 1878.

From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond