light-emitting diode

American

[lahyt-i-mit-ing] / ˈlaɪt ɪˌmɪt ɪŋ /

noun

LED.

light-emitting diode British

noun

LED. a diode of semiconductor material, such as gallium arsenide, that emits light when a forward bias is applied, the colour depending on the semiconductor material: used as off/on indicators

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

light-emitting diode Scientific

See LED

Etymology

Origin of light-emitting diode

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

By blocking current from flowing in at the edges and corners, the design ensures stable and reliable operation of the nano light-emitting diode.

From Science Daily • Mar. 4, 2026

When Dr. Holonyak developed a light-emitting diode — a semiconductor light source that emits light when an electric current flows through it — he was literally showing the world in a whole new light.

From Washington Post • Sep. 21, 2022

To investigate, researchers coated 14 species of coral—10 in the lab and four in the wild—with tiny fluorescent beads, which are each smaller than a pinhead and glow under light-emitting diode light.

From Science Magazine • May 12, 2022

Global Lighting Technologies, a light-emitting diode, or LED, maker, in Shanghai.

From New York Times • Mar. 15, 2022

The organic light-emitting diode technology company reported disappointing second-quarter profits.

From Seattle Times • Aug. 6, 2021

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023