lighting

American  

[lahy-ting] / ˈlaɪ tɪŋ /

noun

• lightings
  plural

1. the act of igniting or illuminating.

   the lighting of many candles; the annual lighting of the Christmas tree.

2. the arrangement of lights to achieve particular effects.

   to work out the lighting for one's living room.

3. an effect achieved by the arrangement of lights.

   Several critics praised the lighting of the play.

4. the science, theory, or method of achieving particular effects by the use of lights.

5. the way light falls upon a face, object, etc., especially in a picture.

---

lighting British  

/ ˈlaɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or quality of illumination or ignition

2. the apparatus for supplying artificial light effects to a stage, film, or television set

3. the distribution of light on an object or figure, as in painting, photography, etc

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• self-lighting
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• lightings
  plural

Etymology

Origin of lighting

First recorded before 1000; Middle English lightinge, Old English līhting; equivalent to light ¹ + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

lighting lightings

Such changes will vary in cost and might mean adding a stairlift, better lighting, handrails, nonslip surfaces, a safer bathroom or even relocating a bedroom to the main floor.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

They’ve popped up in barns and on farms, in strip malls between an antique shop and an ax-throwing business and in churches, where lighting and sound for worship services is part of the curriculum.

From Salon ● Oct. 4, 2026

HHS’ headquarters was decked out for the event with red, white and blue lighting and posters depicting artificial food dye as a monster.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Equipment rental house Cinelease recently announced that it had acquired Quixote’s grip and lighting and production supplies assets in Los Angeles and New York.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026

I flipped the switch on the wall and track lighting illuminated three columns of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves.

From "The Line Tender" by Kate Allen

In recent weeks, the 63-year-old leftist has been dancing on stage at rallies, calmly strolling trade expos and attending Christmas tree lightings hand-in-hand with his wife.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 30, 2025

The organization emailed its millions of followers on Sunday, urging them to redouble their planned menorah lightings.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 14, 2025

But many of their sisters prefer the aggressive viewpoints and radical lightings of what was then called the New Vision, as developed at the Bauhaus and other hot spots of modern style.

From New York Times ● Jul. 11, 2021

Menorah lightings grew in prominence during the Clinton years.

From Salon ● Dec. 11, 2020

Do they much care for public rejoicings, lightings up, ringing of bells, firing of cannons, &c.?

From The Works of Charles Lamb in Four Volumes, Volume 4 by Charles Lamb