lighter

¹

[lahy-ter]

noun

1. a person or thing that lights or ignites.

2. a mechanical device used in lighting cigarettes, cigars, or pipes for smoking.

lighter

²

[lahy-ter]

noun

1. a large, open, flat-bottomed barge, used in unloading and loading ships offshore or in transporting goods for short distances in shallow waters.

verb (used with object)

1. to convey in or as if in a lighter.

lighter

¹

/ ˈlaɪtə /

noun

1. a small portable device for providing a naked flame or red-hot filament to light cigarettes, etc

2. a person or thing that ignites something

lighter

²

/ ˈlaɪtə /

noun

1. a flat-bottomed barge used for transporting cargo, esp in loading or unloading a ship

Word History and Origins

Origin of lighter¹

First recorded in 1545–55; light ¹ + -er ¹

Origin of lighter²

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; light ³, -er ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of lighter¹

C15: probably from Middle Dutch; compare C16 Dutch lichter

Example Sentences

Active warm-ups involved gentle activity like ten minutes on a stationary bike or completing a lighter version of the upcoming exercise.

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Trading volumes are likely to be lighter than usual with U.S.

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Heat at the base of a continent can weaken and remove part of its dense root, making the continent lighter and more buoyant, like a hot air balloon rising after dropping its ballast.

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Here are your questions — and, I hope, answers that make the holiday feel a little lighter.

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Solar panels get smarter, lighter and cheaper to deploy every year.

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Related Words

• barge 
• boat 
• life raft 
• lifeboat