limelight

American  

[lahym-lahyt] / ˈlaɪmˌlaɪt /

noun

1. Theater.

   1. (formerly) a lighting unit for spotlighting the front of the stage, producing illumination by means of a flame of mixed gases directed at a cylinder of lime and having a special lens for concentrating the light in a strong beam.

   2. the light so produced.

   3. Chiefly British. a lighting unit, especially a spotlight.

2. the center of public attention, interest, observation, or notoriety.

   He seems fond of the limelight.

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limelight British  

/ ˈlaɪmˌlaɪt /

noun

1. a position of public attention or notice (esp in the phrase in the limelight )

2. 1. a type of lamp, formerly used in stage lighting, in which light is produced by heating lime to white heat

   2. Also called: calcium light.  brilliant white light produced in this way

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Other Word Forms

• limelighter noun

Etymology

Origin of limelight

First recorded in 1820–30; lime ² + light ¹

Explanation

To be in the limelight is to be at the center of public attention. It might make you a little jealous if your best friend's acting career suddenly puts her in the limelight. When a newly popular musician finds himself in the limelight, he might be surprised at all the attention. Someone who's in the limelight is constantly being talked about, interviewed, and photographed. In the early 1800's, theater stages were lit by heating a cylinder of the mineral called lime — the result was an intensely bright white light. The word limelight came to have its figurative meaning of "at the center of attention" in 1877.

Example Sentences

Ridings had been thrust into the limelight with her Brit Award-nominated debut in 2017, celebrated for her rich, pure-toned vocals on ballads like Lost Without You and the summery pop masterpiece Castles.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

The war has put all things energy, including coal, natural gas, and oil, in the limelight.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

Mueller, who routinely shunned the limelight throughout his law-enforcement career, largely vanished from public view after his departure from the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 2013.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 21, 2026

Such opportunities are rare, and typically occur far from Wall Street and out of the limelight.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 12, 2026

Willard’s success was unquestionable, but for many years she shared the limelight with one of the most eccentric, unforgettable characters in the entire American experience.

From "1919 The Year That Changed America" by Martin W. Sandler

Related Words

• glare
• prominence
• public eye
• spotlight