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lighter

1
[ lahy-ter ]
/ ˈlaɪ tər /
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See synonyms for: lighter / lighters on Thesaurus.com

noun
a person or thing that lights or ignites.
a mechanical device used in lighting cigarettes, cigars, or pipes for smoking.
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Origin of lighter

1
First recorded in 1545–55; light1 + -er1

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH lighter

letter, lighter , liter, litter

Other definitions for lighter (2 of 2)

lighter2
[ lahy-ter ]
/ ˈlaɪ tər /

noun
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)
to convey in or as if in a lighter.

Origin of lighter

2
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at light3, -er1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lighter in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lighter (1 of 2)

lighter1
/ (ˈlaɪtə) /

noun
a small portable device for providing a naked flame or red-hot filament to light cigarettes, etc
a person or thing that ignites something

British Dictionary definitions for lighter (2 of 2)

lighter2
/ (ˈlaɪtə) /

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

Word Origin for lighter

C15: probably from Middle Dutch; compare C16 Dutch lichter
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
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