sunlight
Americannoun
noun
-
the light emanating from the sun
-
an area or the time characterized by sunshine
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of sunlight
First recorded in 1175–1225, sunlight is from the Middle English word sonneliht. See sun, light 1
Vocabulary lists containing sunlight
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.
It contains a sap which irritates skin when it is exposed to sunlight and can cause blistering and swelling.
From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026
It expanded scientists’ knowledge of a wide spectrum of processes, such as how plants gain energy from sunlight, how animals use oxygen and food as fuel, and how batteries use chemicals to create electricity.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
Remember that scene in “The Lion King,” where Mufasa calls Simba to the top of Pride Rock and tells his son that one day, everything the sunlight touches will be his?
From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2026
Without air molecules to slow them down, methane molecules move freely under the influence of gravity, bouncing across the surface as sunlight energizes them and colder temperatures reduce their speed.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 13, 2026
Maggie steps through the door into fading sunlight.
From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith
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.
