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

Airlines have lighter load factors during the low season and are better able to reshuffle flights and passengers.

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They were stuffed with electric razors, cigarette lighters, stockings, lipstick, perfume, and one set of false teeth.

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Two months later when they were brought back, they were not weighed, but the court says that later investigations have revealed they were a lot lighter.

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So the data suggest the existence of a new particle in nature that's about 38 orders of magnitude lighter than the electron.

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But as the delivery truck continued, the traffic became lighter, the buildings became smaller, and the landscape became greener.

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Related Words

• barge 
• boat 
• life raft 
• lifeboat