Jump to:

• lit
  lit

  verb

  a simple past tense and past participle of light.
• lit.
  lit.

  abbreviation

  liter; liters.
• Lit.
  Lit.

  abbreviation

  (in Italy) lira; lire.

lit

¹ American  

[lit] / lɪt /

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of light.

---

adjective

1. Slang. under the influence of liquor or narcotics; intoxicated (usually followed byup ).

2. Slang. amazing; awesome; cool (used as a general term of approval).

   Today's rally was really lit!

lit ² American  

[lit] / lɪt /

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of light.

---

lit ³ American  

[lit] / lɪt /

noun

Informal.

1. literature.

   a college course in English lit.

---

lit ⁴ American  

[lit] / lɪt /

noun

1. litas.

---

lit. ⁵ American  

abbreviation

1. liter; liters.

2. literal.

3. literally.

4. literary.

5. literature.

---

Lit. ⁶ American  

abbreviation

1. (in Italy) lira; lire.

---

lit. ¹ British  

abbreviation

1. literal(ly)

2. literary

3. literature

---

lit ² British  

/ lɪt /

verb

1. a past tense and past participle of light 1

2. an alternative past tense and past participle of light 2

---

Etymology

Origin of lit¹

First recorded in 1895–1900 in the sense “intoxicated”

Origin of lit³

First recorded in 1850–55; by shortening

Explanation

If something's lit, it's illuminated with light from a lamp or other source. Your romantic dinner table might be lit only with flickering candles. A well-lit room provides enough light for whatever task you need to to there — your kitchen might be lit with under-cabinet lights that shine on the counters, and your office might be lit with a desk lamp. Lit also means "set on fire," like a lit campfire or a glowing, lit stick of incense. If you're studying American literature in school, you might describe it using the colloquial shorthand, "American lit."

Example Sentences

"It lit a fire in me," she says.

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

Museum visitors Jean and Phil Orozco marveled over the pieces of history inside the dimly lit exhibition room.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

We lit no candles for the Sabbath, but Friday night dinners were always somehow a bit special.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

Sit in a dimly lit restaurant with someone over 60, and you will likely hear them say, "Hold on -- let me pull out my cell phone. I need more light to read the menu!"

From Science Daily • Apr. 22, 2026

He lit a cigar and began to study the ledgers.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

Related Words

• stoned
• tipsy