lighter

¹ American  

[lahy-ter] / ˈlaɪ tər /

noun

1. a person or thing that lights or ignites.

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

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lighter ² American  

[lahy-ter] / ˈlaɪ tər /

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.

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verb (used with object)

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

lighter ¹ British  

/ 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

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lighter ² British  

/ ˈlaɪtə /

noun

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

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Etymology

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

Example Sentences

For example, he once observed External link that gross domestic product was getting lighter.

From Barron's

PhD candidate Ms. Bronwen Charlesson examined how different training loads, ranging from high intensity to lighter periods, affect athletes' gut health.

From Science Daily

A new spray mechanism delivers a “lighter, more controlled application,” it says.

From The Wall Street Journal

Real private domestic demand grew at an annual rate of 2.4% in Q4, a bit lighter than we anticipated, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see this revised higher.

From Barron's

In those regions, heavy oceanic plates slide beneath lighter continental plates, sometimes producing earthquakes hundreds of miles deep.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• barge
• boat
• life raft
• lifeboat