lighting

American  

[lahy-ting] / ˈlaɪ tɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of igniting or illuminating.

   the lighting of many candles; the annual lighting of the Christmas tree.

2. the arrangement of lights light lights to achieve particular effects.

   to work out the lighting for one's living room.

3. an effect achieved by the arrangement of lights: light: lights.

   Several critics praised the lighting of the play.

4. the science, theory, or method of achieving particular effects by the use of lights. light. lights.

5. the way light lights falls upon a face, object, etc., especially in a picture.

---

lighting British  

/ ˈlaɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. the act or quality of illumination or ignition

2. the apparatus for supplying artificial light effects to a stage, film, or television set

3. the distribution of light on an object or figure, as in painting, photography, etc

---

Other Word Forms

• self-lighting adjective

Etymology

Origin of lighting

First recorded before 1000; Middle English lightinge, Old English līhting; equivalent to light ¹ + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

We were running this airlift, like small propeller planes with eight seats, trying to get more than 100 people back to the mainland before twilight hits because they don’t have lighting on the runway.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

Humans can understand how lighting changes surface details, like how angled lighting reveals texture but reduces visible color.

From Barron's • Apr. 5, 2026

A California-based startup called Reflect Orbital says that reflecting sunshine on places during times of darkness could charge up solar panels, grow crops and replace urban lighting.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

Looking ahead, similar systems could be built into ceilings, lighting fixtures, or wireless access points, delivering fast, secure, and energy-efficient connections to many users simultaneously.

From Science Daily • Apr. 2, 2026

Chicken stomped down the pier, sneakers lighting up, calling: “Caterpillar! Caterpillar!”

From "Caterpillar Summer" by Gillian McDunn