light

[ lahyt ]

/ laɪt /

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See synonyms for: light / lighted / lighter / lightest on Thesaurus.com

noun

something that makes things visible or affords illumination: All colors depend on light.

Physics.

Also called lu·mi·nous en·er·gy, radiant energy. electromagnetic radiation to which the organs of sight react, ranging in wavelength from about 400 to 700 nanometers and propagated at a speed of 186,282 miles per second (299,972 kilometers per second), considered variously as a wave, a stream of particles, or a quantum phenomenon.
a similar form of radiant energy that does not affect the retina, as ultraviolet or infrared rays.

the sensation produced by stimulation of the organs of sight.

an illuminating agent or source, as the sun, a lamp, or a beacon.

the radiance or illumination from a particular source: the light of a candle.

the illumination from the sun; daylight: We awoke at the first light.

daybreak or dawn: when light appeared in the east.

daytime: Summer has more hours of light.

a particular light or illumination in which an object seen takes on a certain appearance: viewing the portrait in dim light.

a device for or means of igniting, as a spark, flame, or match: Could you give me a light?

a traffic light: Don't cross till the light changes.

the aspect in which a thing appears or is regarded: Try to look at the situation in a more cheerful light.

the state of being visible, exposed to view, or revealed to public notice or knowledge; limelight: Stardom has placed her in the light.

a person who is an outstanding leader, celebrity, or example; luminary: He became one of the leading lights of Restoration drama.

Art.

the effect of light falling on an object or scene as represented in a picture.
one of the brightest parts of a picture.

a gleam or sparkle, as in the eyes.

a measure or supply of light; illumination: The wall cuts off our light.

spiritual illumination or awareness; enlightenment.

Architecture.

Also called day. one compartment of a window or window sash.
a window, especially a small one.

mental insight; understanding.

lights, the information, ideas, or mental capacities possessed: to act according to one's lights.

a lighthouse.

Archaic. the eyesight.

adjective, light·er, light·est.

having light or illumination; bright; well-lighted: the lightest room in the entire house.

pale, whitish, or not deep or dark in color: a light blue.

(of coffee or tea) containing enough milk or cream to produce a light color.

verb (used with object), light·ed or lit, light·ing.

to set burning, as a candle, lamp, fire, match, or cigarette; kindle; ignite.

to turn or switch on (an electric light): One flick of the master switch lights all the lamps in the room.

to give light to; furnish with light or illumination: The room is lighted by two large chandeliers.

to make (an area or object) bright with or as if with light (often followed by up): Hundreds of candles lighted up the ballroom.

to cause (the face, surroundings, etc.) to brighten, especially with joy, animation, or the like (often followed by up): A smile lit up her face. Her presence lighted up the room.

to guide or conduct with a light: a candle to light you to bed.

verb (used without object), light·ed or lit, light·ing.

to take fire or become kindled: The damp wood refused to light.

to ignite a cigar, cigarette, or pipe for purposes of smoking (usually followed by up): He took out a pipe and lighted up before speaking.

to become illuminated when switched on: This table lamp won't light.

to become bright, as with light or color (often followed by up): The sky lights up at sunset.

to brighten with animation or joy, as the face or eyes (often followed by up).

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Idioms about light

bring to light, to discover or reveal: The excavations brought to light the remnants of an ancient civilization.

come to light, to be discovered or revealed: Some previously undiscovered letters have lately come to light.

hide one's light under a bushel, to conceal or suppress one's talents or successes.

in a good / bad light, under favorable (or unfavorable) circumstances: She worshiped him, but then she'd only seen him in a good light.

in (the) light of, taking into account; because of; considering: It was necessary to review the decision in the light of recent developments.

light at the end of the tunnel, a prospect of success, relief, or redemption: We haven't solved the problem yet, but we're beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel.

see the light,

to come into existence or being.
to be made public.
to begin to accept or understand a point of view one formerly opposed: Her father was opposed to her attending an out-of-town college, but he finally saw the light.

shed / throw light on, to clarify; clear up: His deathbed confession threw light on a mystery of long standing.

Origin of light

First recorded before 900; (noun and adjective) Middle English; Old English lēoht; cognate with Old Saxon lioht, Old Frisian liacht, Dutch, German licht, Gothic liuhath (noun); akin to Old Norse ljōs (noun), ljōss (adjective), Latin lūx (noun), Greek leukós “bright, white”; (verb) Middle English lighten, Old English līhtan, cognate with Old Saxon liuhtian, Old High German liuhten (German leuchten ), Gothic liuhtjan

OTHER WORDS FROM light

lightful, adjectivelight·ful·ly, adverb

Other definitions for light (2 of 3)

light²

[ lahyt ]

/ laɪt /

adjective, light·er, light·est.

of little weight; not heavy: a light load.

of little weight in proportion to bulk; of low specific gravity: a light metal.

of less than the usual or average weight: light clothing.

weighing less than the proper or standard amount: to be caught using light weights in trade.

of small amount, force, intensity, etc.: light trading on the stock market;a light rain;light sleep.

using or applying little or slight pressure or force: The child petted the puppy with light, gentle strokes.

not distinct; faint: The writing on the page had become light and hard to read.

easy to endure, deal with, or perform; not difficult or burdensome: light duties.

not very profound or serious; amusing or entertaining: light reading.

of little importance or consequence; trivial: The loss of his job was no light matter.

easily digested: light food.

low in any substance, as sugar, starch, or tars, that is considered harmful or undesirable: light cigarettes.

(of alcoholic beverages)

not heavy or strong: a light apéritif.
(especially of beer and wine) having fewer calories and usually a lower alcohol content than the standard product.

spongy or well-leavened, as cake.

(of soil) containing much sand; porous or crumbly.

slender or delicate in form or appearance: a light, graceful figure.

airy or buoyant in movement: When she dances, she's as light as a feather.

nimble or agile: light on one's feet.

free from trouble, sorrow, or worry; carefree: a light heart.

cheerful; merry: a light laugh.

characterized by lack of proper seriousness; frivolous: light conduct.

sexually promiscuous; loose.

easily swayed; changeable: volatile: a heart light of love;His is a life of a man light of purpose.

slightly delirious; dizzy: I get light on one martini.

Military. lightly armed or equipped: light cavalry.

having little or no cargo, encumbrance, or the like; not burdened: a light freighter drawing little water.

adapted by small weight or slight build for small loads or swift movement: The grocer bought a light truck for deliveries.

using small-scale machinery primarily for the production of consumer goods: light industry.

Nautical. noting any sail of light canvas set only in moderate or calm weather, as a royal, skysail, studdingsail, gaff topsail, or spinnaker.

Meteorology. (of wind) having a speed up to 7 miles per hour (3 meters per second).Compare light air, light breeze.

Phonetics. (of l-sounds) resembling a front vowel in quality; clear: French l is lighter than English l.

Prosody. (of a syllable)

Poker. being in debt to the pot: He's a dollar light.

adverb, light·er, light·est.

with few or no suitcases; lightly: to travel light.

with no load or cargo hauled or carried: a locomotive running light to its roundhouse.

noun

a light product, as a beer or cigarette.

OTHER WORDS FOR light

7 indistinct; faded.

10 trifling, inconsiderable.

19 cheery, happy.

21 flighty.

See synonyms for light on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR light

1 heavy.

See antonyms for light on Thesaurus.com

Origin of light

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English lēoht, līht; cognate with Old Frisian li(u)cht, Old Saxon -līht, Dutch licht, German leicht, Old Norse lēttr, Gothic leihts

Other definitions for light (3 of 3)

light³

[ lahyt ]

/ laɪt /

verb (used without object), light·ed or lit, light·ing.

to get down or descend, as from a horse or a vehicle: As she lighted, the journalists began shouting questions at her.

to come to rest, as on a spot or thing; fall or settle upon; land: The bird lighted on the branch. My eye lighted on some friends in the crowd.

to come by chance; happen; hit (usually followed by on or upon): to light on a clue; to light on an ideal picnic spot.

to fall, as a stroke, weapon, vengeance, or choice, on a place or person: The choice lighted upon our candidate.

Verb Phrases

light into, Informal. to make a vigorous physical or verbal attack on: He would light into anyone with the slightest provocation.

light out, Informal. to leave quickly; depart hurriedly: He lit out of here as fast as his legs would carry him.

Origin of light

First recorded before 900; Middle English lihten, Old English līhtan “to make light, relieve of a weight”; see light²

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use light in a sentence

White had been convicted of voluntary manslaughter, the lightest possible sentence for his crime.
Castro Street’s Hot Cop Is the Batman to Sexy Mug Shot Guy’s Joker|Itay Hod|July 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Most of the atoms in a newborn star system are hydrogen, which is the lightest chemical element.
Mega-Earth Is the Weirdest Exoplanet Yet|Matthew R. Francis|June 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His travelling companions were congenial, and his duties of the lightest—merely to give music lessons to young Shilovsky.
The Life & Letters of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky|Modeste Tchaikovsky
Then net with the smallest mesh the two lightest shades, one row of each, and two rows of the other three shades.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness|Florence Hartley

It was evident that every beam quivered in its mortices at the passing of the lightest vehicle.
At the Sign of the Cat and Racket|Honore de Balzac
Twitchbell—inside of lightest part of Starling's quill feather for wings, brown hackle for legs, brown Peacock's herl for body.
The Teesdale Angler|R Lakeland
The Black Gnat—dubbed with black mohair, the wings of the lightest part of a starling.
The Teesdale Angler|R Lakeland

British Dictionary definitions for light (1 of 3)

light¹

/ (laɪt) /

noun

the medium of illumination that makes sight possible

Also called: visible radiation electromagnetic radiation that is capable of causing a visual sensation and has wavelengths from about 380 to about 780 nanometres

(not in technical usage) electromagnetic radiation that has a wavelength outside this range, esp ultraviolet radiationultraviolet light

the sensation experienced when electromagnetic radiation within the visible spectrum falls on the retina of the eyeRelated prefix: photo-

anything that illuminates, such as a lamp or candle

See traffic light

a particular quality or type of lighta good light for reading

illumination from the sun during the day; daylight
the time this appears; daybreak; dawn

anything that allows the entrance of light, such as a window or compartment of a window

the condition of being visible or known (esp in the phrases bring or come to light)

an aspect or viewhe saw it in a different light

mental understanding or spiritual insight

a person considered to be an authority or leader

brightness of countenance, esp a sparkle in the eyes

the act of igniting or kindling something, such as a cigarette
something that ignites or kindles, esp in a specified manner, such as a spark or flame
something used for igniting or kindling, such as a match

See lighthouse

the effect of illumination on objects or scenes, as created in a picture
an area of brightness in a picture, as opposed to shade

a poetic or archaic word for eyesight

the answer to a clue in a crossword

in light of or in the light of in view of; taking into account; considering

light at the end of the tunnel hope for the ending of a difficult or unpleasant situation

out like a light quickly asleep or unconscious

see the light

to gain sudden insight into or understanding of something
to experience a religious conversion

see the light or see the light of day

to come into being
to come to public notice

shed light on or throw light on to clarify or supply additional information on

stand in a person's light to stand so as to obscure a person's vision

strike a light

(verb) to ignite something, esp a match, by friction
(interjection) British an exclamation of surprise

adjective

full of light; well-lighted

(of a colour) reflecting or transmitting a large amount of lightlight yellow Compare medium (def. 2), dark (def. 2)

phonetics relating to or denoting an (l) pronounced with front vowel resonance; clearthe French "l" is much lighter than that of English See dark (def. 9)

verb lights, lighting, lighted or lit (lɪt)

to ignite or cause to ignite

(often foll by up) to illuminate or cause to illuminate

to make or become cheerful or animated

(tr) to guide or lead by light

Derived forms of light

lightish, adjectivelightless, adjective

Word Origin for light

Old English lēoht; related to Old High German lioht, Gothic liuhath, Latin lux

British Dictionary definitions for light (2 of 3)

light²

/ (laɪt) /

adjective

not heavy; weighing relatively little

having relatively low densitymagnesium is a light metal

lacking sufficient weight; not agreeing with standard or official weights

not great in degree, intensity, or numberlight rain; a light eater

without burdens, difficulties, or problems; easily borne or donea light heart; light work

graceful, agile, or deftlight fingers

not bulky or clumsy

not serious or profound; entertaininglight verse

without importance or consequence; insignificantno light matter

frivolous or capricious

loose in morals

dizzy or uncleara light head

(of bread, cake, etc) spongy or well leavened

easily digesteda light meal

relatively low in alcoholic contenta light wine

(of a soil) having a crumbly texture

(of a vessel, lorry, etc)

designed to carry light loads
not loaded

carrying light arms or equipmentlight infantry

(of an industry) engaged in the production of small consumer goods using light machineryCompare heavy (def. 10)

aeronautics (of an aircraft) having a maximum take-off weight less than 5670 kilograms (12 500 pounds)

chem (of an oil fraction obtained from coal tar) having a boiling range between about 100° and 210°C

(of a railway) having a narrow gauge, or in some cases a standard gauge with speed or load restrictions not applied to a main line

bridge

(of a bid) made on insufficient values
(of a player) having failed to take sufficient tricks to make his contract

phonetics prosody (of a syllable, vowel, etc) unaccented or weakly stressed; shortCompare heavy (def. 13) See also light 1 (def. 30)

phonetics the least of three levels of stress in an utterance, in such languages as English

light on informal lacking a sufficient quantity of (something)

make light of to treat as insignificant or trifling

adverb

a less common word for lightly

with little equipment, baggage, etcto travel light

verb lights, lighting, lighted or lit (lɪt) (intr)

(esp of birds) to settle or land after flight

to get down from a horse, vehicle, etc

(foll by on or upon) to come upon unexpectedly

to strike or fall onthe choice lighted on me

See also light into, light out, lights 2

Derived forms of light

lightish, adjectivelightly, adverblightness, noun

Word Origin for light

Old English lēoht; related to Dutch licht, Gothic leihts

British Dictionary definitions for light (3 of 3)

Light

/ (laɪt) /

noun

God regarded as a source of illuminating grace and strength

Quakerism short for Inner Light

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

Scientific definitions for light

light

[ līt ]

Electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye. It is made up of electromagnetic waves with wavelengths between 4 X 10-7 and 7 X 10-7 meters. Light, and all other electromagnetic radiation, travels at a speed of about 299,728 km (185,831 mi) per second in a vacuum. See also photon.

Electromagnetic energy of a wavelength just outside the range the human eye can detect, such as infrared light and ultraviolet light. See Note at electromagnetic radiation.

Cultural definitions for light

light

The type of electromagnetic wave that is visible to the human eye. Visible light runs along a spectrum from the short wavelengths of violet to the longer wavelengths of red. (See photon.)

Other Idioms and Phrases with light

light

In addition to the idioms beginning with light

light a fire under
light as a feather
light at the end of the tunnel
light dawned, the
lighten up
light heart
light into
lightning never strikes twice in the same place
light on
light out
light up

also see:

begin to see daylight (see the light of day)
bring to light
come to light
go light on
green light
heavy (light) heart
hide one's light
in a good (bad) light
in the cold light of day
in the light of
lace (light) into
leading light
make light of
many hands make light work
once over lightly
out cold (like a light)
see the light
shed light on
sweetness and light
travel light
trip the light fantastic

light

Idioms about light

Origin of light

OTHER WORDS FROM light

Other definitions for light (2 of 3)

OTHER WORDS FOR light

OPPOSITES FOR light

Origin of light

Other definitions for light (3 of 3)

Origin of light

Words related to light

How to use light in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for light (1 of 3)

Derived forms of light

Word Origin for light

British Dictionary definitions for light (2 of 3)

Derived forms of light

Word Origin for light

British Dictionary definitions for light (3 of 3)

Scientific definitions for light

Cultural definitions for light

Other Idioms and Phrases with light