lighting
Americannoun
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the act of igniting or illuminating.
the lighting of many candles; the annual lighting of the Christmas tree.
-
the arrangement of lights to achieve particular effects.
to work out the lighting for one's living room.
-
an effect achieved by the arrangement of lights.
Several critics praised the lighting of the play.
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the science, theory, or method of achieving particular effects by the use of lights.
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the way light falls upon a face, object, etc., especially in a picture.
noun
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the act or quality of illumination or ignition
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the apparatus for supplying artificial light effects to a stage, film, or television set
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the distribution of light on an object or figure, as in painting, photography, etc
Other Word Forms
- self-lighting adjective
Etymology
Origin of lighting
First recorded before 1000; Middle English lightinge, Old English līhting; equivalent to light 1 + -ing 1
Vocabulary lists containing lighting
myPerspectives 10.1
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myPerspectives 9.2
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Theater - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Never underestimate the joys of a good mattress and flattering indoor lighting.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026
The production, subduedly aglow in Adam Honoré and Spencer Doughtie’s lighting, has the lyrical beauty of a vintage photograph magically summoned to life.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
At the Dream Midtown in New York, the bathroom lighting was so dim I called the front desk to see if I was doing something wrong.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
St Michael and All Angels church in the village said it would be joining in prayer and lighting candles on Sunday afternoon.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
It glistened like a Christmas ornament under the fluorescent lighting spilling out from the café.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
