sidelight

[ sahyd-lahyt ]

/ ˈsaɪdˌlaɪt /

noun

an item of incidental information.

either of two lights carried by a vessel under way at night, a red one on the port side and a green on the starboard.

light coming from the side.

a window or other aperture for light in the side of a building, ship, etc.

a window at the side of a door or another window.

QUIZZES

Discover The Influence Of Portuguese On English Via This Quiz!

We’ve gathered some interesting words donated to English from Portuguese … as well as some that just don’t translate at all. Do you know what they mean?

Question 1 of 11

Which of the following bird names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?

owl

crow

piranha

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Words nearby sidelight

sidecheck, sided, sidehead, sidehill, sidekick, sidelight, sideline, sideliner, sidelines, sideling, sideload

Origin of sidelight

First recorded in 1600–10; side¹ + light¹

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for side-light

Henrietta was not in his confidence, though he was in hers, and Isabel consequently received no side-light upon his state of mind.
The Portrait of a Lady|Henry James
Jim's tactics of raising false issues were compatible with an attempt at a side-light on public opinion.
It Never Can Happen Again|William De Morgan
This was intended to be photographed or engraved in a side-light, as one of a series of physical maps.
Ruskin Relics|W. G. Collingwood
The book should be a very acceptable addition to missionary stories and side-light reading.
Bahaism and Its Claims|Samuel Graham Wilson

I asked, more and more puzzled—in the hope of some side-light on the matter.
Lilith|George MacDonald

British Dictionary definitions for side-light

sidelight

/ (ˈsaɪdˌlaɪt) /

noun

light coming from the side

a side window

either of the two navigational running lights used by vessels at night, a red light on the port and a green on the starboard

British either of two small lights on the front of a motor vehicle, used to indicate the presence of the vehicle at night rather than to assist the driver

additional or incidental information

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