traffic light

American  

noun

traffic lights plural

1. a set of electrically operated signal lights used to direct or control traffic at intersections.

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traffic light British  

noun

1. one of a set of coloured lights placed at crossroads, junctions, etc, to control the flow of traffic. A red light indicates that traffic must stop and a green light that it may go: usually an amber warning light is added between the red and the green

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• traffic lights
  plural

Etymology

Origin of traffic light

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

traffic light

In another clip obtained by The Times, one individual with a Spider-Man mask was seen climbing a traffic light before leading the crowd in a chant: “USA, USA, USA.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 5, 2026

In January, the Department for Transport published a traffic light rating system judging local authorities on how they are maintaining their roads and spending government funding.

From BBC ● May 4, 2026

Seven months ago, a self-driving Waymo made an illegal U-turn at a traffic light right in front of police officers in San Bruno.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026

Under the new "traffic light system", Ofsted inspectors will use a five-point grading system, ranging from "urgent improvement" to "exceptional" to assess six areas of school performance.

From BBC ● Nov. 11, 2025

Aunty Uju asked, barely glancing at the boy before turning back to a traffic light.

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Related Words

• red light
• stoplight
• traffic control
• yellow light