Word.ws English Dictionary

light

/laɪt/[laɪt]

light noun: electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range visible to the human eye (about 400–750 nanometers): visible light.

light: electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range visible to the human eye (about 400–750...
Image: Limonc, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Noun (1)

light (countable and uncountable, plural lights)

  1. (uncountable) Electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range visible to the human eye (about 400–750 nanometers): visible light.
    • As you can see, this spacious dining-room gets a lot of light in the mornings.
    • Then came a maid with hand-bag and shawls, and after her a tall young lady. She stood for a moment holding her skirt above the grimy steps,[…], and the light of the reflector fell full upon her.1897 December (indicated as 1898), Winston Churchill, chapter V, in The Celebrity: An Episode, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., Ltd., →OCLC
  2. (broadly) Electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range visible to the human eye or in nearby ranges (infrared or ultraviolet radiation).
    • black light
  3. (broadly, uncommon) Electromagnetic radiation of any wavelength.
    • It’s everywhere. At this moment, as you sit quietly reading this book, you are awash in it. At work, it’s emanating from your electronic devices; step outside for lunch, and the sun bathes you in it. You may receive an extra dose of it when you visit your doctor, pass through security at the...2017, Bob Berman, Zapped: From Infrared to X-rays, the Curious History of Invisible Light, Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN, pages 8-9
  4. (countable) A source of illumination.
    • Put that light out!
    • And the light ſhineth in darkneſſe, and the darkneſſe compꝛehended it not.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, John 1:5
    1. A lightbulb or similar light-emitting device, regardless of whether it is lit.
      • We turned off all the lights and went to sleep.
      • The ceiling lights were off, but I knew the narrow light spilling from the lamp on my bureau would be enough for her to see the pale red marks on my chest, which had been fading for so long they had gone back to being shiny again.2016 August 7, Jameson Rich, “The Shirt Stays On”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 25 Nov 2022
    2. A traffic light, or (by extension) an intersection controlled by traffic lights.
      • To get to our house, turn right at the third light.
  5. (figuratively) Spiritual or mental illumination; enlightenment, useful information.
    • Can you throw any light on this problem?
    • He shall never know / That I had any light of this from thee.c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
  6. (archaic, in plural) Facts; pieces of information; ideas, concepts.
    • Now these notions are twofold, actions or habits[…], which are durable lights and notions, which we may use when we will.1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC
    • "Well, there's her statement of her case, and according to her lights, it's a just one. She's got a slum-bred mind."1950, Norman Lindsay, Dust or Polish?, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 164
  7. A notable person within a specific field or discipline.
    • Picasso was one of the leading lights of the cubist movement.
    • Joan of Arc, a light of ancient France1842, Alfred Tennyson, “A Dream of Fair Women”, in Poems. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC
  8. (painting) The manner in which the light strikes a picture; that part of a picture which represents those objects upon which the light is supposed to fall; the more illuminated part of a landscape or other scene; opposed to shade.
  9. A point of view, or aspect from which a concept, person or thing is regarded.
    • I'm really seeing you in a different light today.
    • Magoon's governorship in Cuba was viewed in a negative light by many Cuban historians for years thereafter.
  10. A flame or something used to create fire.
    • "There will, I expect, be many such - possibly whole cities in flames - when we consider how many folk may have dropped with lights in their hands."1913, Arthur Conan Doyle, “(please specify the page)”, in The Poison Belt […], London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC
    1. (slang) A cigarette lighter.
      • Hey, buddy, you got a light?
  11. A firework made by filling a case with a substance which burns brilliantly with a white or coloured flame.
    • a Bengal light
  12. A window in architecture, carriage design, or motor car design: either the opening itself or the window pane of glass that fills it, if any.
    • This facade has eight south-facing lights.
Show 5 more meaningsShow fewer meanings
  1. (crosswording) The series of squares reserved for the answer to a crossword clue.
    • The average length of a light on a 15×15 grid is 7 or 8.
  2. (informal) A cross-light in a double acrostic or triple acrostic.
  3. Open view; a visible state or condition; public observation; publicity.
    • The duke yet would have dark deeds darkly answered; he would never bring them to light.c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
  4. The power of perception by vision: eyesight (sightedness; vision).
    • My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eies, it also is gone from me.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Psalms 38:10
  5. The brightness of the eye or eyes.
    • He seemed to find his way without his eyes; / For out o'door he went without their helps, / And, to the last, bended their light on me.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...

Verb (1)

light (third-person singular simple present lights, present participle lighting, simple past and past participle lit or (now uncommon) lighted or (obsolete) light)

  1. (transitive) To start (a fire).
    • We lit the fire to get some heat.
    Synonyms:
    set
  2. (transitive) To set fire to; to set burning.
    • She lit her last match.
    • if a thousand candles be all lighted from one1627, G[eorge] H[akewill], An Apologie of the Power and Prouidence of God in the Gouernment of the World. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Iohn Lichfield and William Turner, […], →OCLC
  3. (transitive) To illuminate; to provide light for when it is dark.
    • I used my torch to light the way home through the woods in the night.
    • 19th century', Frederic Harrison, The Fortnightly Review
      One hundred years ago, to have lit this theatre as brilliantly as it is now lighted would have cost, I suppose, fifty pounds.
  4. (intransitive) To become ignited; to take fire.
    • This soggy match will not light.
  5. To attend or conduct with a light; to show the way to by means of a light.
    • His bishops lead him forth, and light him on.1824, Walter Savage Landor, Imaginary Conversations: Richard I and the Abbot of Boxley
  6. (transitive, pinball) To make (a bonus) available to be collected by hitting a target, and thus light up the feature light corresponding to that bonus to indicate its availability.
    • Light the extra ball by amassing 500 million points in the wizard mode.

Adjective (1)

light (comparative lighter, superlative lightest)

  1. Having light; bright; clear; not dark or obscure.
    • The room is light when the Sun shines through the window.
    • Historic England explained the listing: "The station's unique design employs a high level of sophistication and innovation through its use of conoid shells supported on a cruck-like frame, which not only create a dramatic aesthetic form, but endow the building with a light and spacious interior."2023 March 22, Philip Haigh, “Five configuration stages to boost Manchester rail capacity”, in RAIL, number 979, page 31
    Synonyms:
    bright, lightful
  2. Pale or whitish in color; highly luminous and more or less deficient in chroma.
    • She had light skin.
    • 'Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the Sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.1913, Joseph C[rosby] Lincoln, chapter I, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients, New York, N.Y.; London: D[aniel] Appleton and Company, →OCLC
    Synonyms:
    pale
  3. Served with extra milk or cream.
    • Do you want your coffee light or black? -I like mine light.
    Synonyms:
    white

Adjective (2)

light (comparative lighter, superlative lightest)

  1. Having little or relatively little actual weight; not heavy; not cumbrous or unwieldy.
    • a light load ; a lighter backpack after having removed the books ; light weapons
    • These weights did not exert their natural gravity […] insomuch that I could not guess which was light or heavy whilst I held them in my hand.1712 August 31 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “WEDNESDAY, August 21, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 463; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a...
  2. Having little weight as compared with bulk; of little density or specific gravity.
    • feathers and cork are light ; oil is lighter than water
    Synonyms:
    unheavy
  3. Of short or insufficient weight; weighing less than the legal, standard, or proper amount; clipped or diminished.
    • to issue light coin
  4. Free from burden or impediment; unencumbered.
  5. Lightly built; typically designed for speed or small loads.
    • a light aircraft ; a light tank
    Synonyms:
    lightweight
  6. Not heavily armed; armed with light weapons.
    • light infantry; a troop of light horse
  7. Riding high because of no cargo; by extension, pertaining to a ship which is light.
    • if a ship is light or partially loaded ; the light draft of a vessel, or its light displacement
  8. Without any piece of equipment attached or attached only to a caboose.
    • the light locomotives ; a locomotive may be moved light
    • On that August Thursday afternoon, there was little freight traffic; a large "K3" Mogul went down with a short, fast goods, and a W.D. 2-8-0 proceeded northward light.1951 January, R. A. H. Weight, “A Railway Recorder in Essex and Hertfordshire”, in Railway Magazine, page 44
  9. With low viscosity.
  10. Not heavy or soggy; spongy; well raised.
    • a light bread ; sponge cake is a light cake
  11. Low in fat, calories, alcohol, salt, etc.
    • This light beer still gets you drunk if you have enough of it.
    Synonyms:
    lite, lo-cal, low-alcohol
  12. Slight, not forceful or intense; small in amount or intensity.
    • a light drizzle//a light rain was falling//a light snow set in
Show 11 more meaningsShow fewer meanings
  1. Gentle; having little force or momentum.
    • This artist clearly had a light, flowing touch.
    Synonyms:
    soft, gentle, delicate
  2. Easy to endure or perform.
    • light duties around the house
    • Light sufferings give us leisure to complain.1697, Virgil, “Palamon and Arcite”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC
  3. Unimportant, trivial, having little value or significance.
    • I made some light comment, and we moved on.
    • He had drunk more than was fit for him, and he was singing some light song, when he saw approaching, as he said, the pale horse mentioned in the Revelation, with Death seated as the rider.1902, John Buchan, The Outgoing of the Tide
  4. (obsolete) Unchaste, wanton.
    • Long after lay he musing at her mood, / Much grieu'd to thinke that gentle Dame so light, / For whose defence he was to shed his blood.1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC
    • So do not you; for you are a light girl.c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward]...
  5. Not encumbered; unembarrassed; clear of impediments; hence, active; nimble; swift.
    • Unmarried men are best friends, best masters […] but not always best subjects, for they are light to run away.1625, Francis [Bacon], “Of Marriage and Single Life”, in The Essayes […], 3rd edition, London: […] Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC
  6. Fast; nimble.
    Synonyms:
    rapid, nimble
  7. (dated) Easily influenced by trifling considerations; unsteady; unsettled; volatile.
    • a light, vain person; a light mind
    • There is no greater argument of a light and inconsiderate person than profanely to scoff at religion.1633, John Tillotson, The Wisdom of being Religious
  8. Indulging in, or inclined to, levity; lacking dignity or solemnity; frivolous; airy.
    • Ogden Nash was a writer of light verse.
    • Seneca can not be too heavy, nor Plautus too light.c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
  9. Not quite sound or normal; somewhat impaired or deranged; dizzy; giddy.
    • Are his wits safe? Is he not light of brain?c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac...
  10. Easily interrupted by stimulation.
    • light sleep; light anesthesia
  11. Cheerful.
    • I wish you a good day, and you'll find a way
      To make your spirits light & gay1980, “ア・グッド・デイ [A Good Day]”, Yoko Narahashi (lyrics), Yukihide Takekawa (music), performed by Godiego

Adverb

light (comparative lighter, superlative lightest)

  1. Carrying little.
    • I prefer to travel light.

Noun (2)

light (plural lights)

  1. A stone that is not thrown hard enough.
  2. See lights (“lungs”).
  3. (Australia, uncountable) A low-alcohol lager.
    • We crossed to the pub on the corner of Carlisle Street and I ordered two schooners of old for him and one of light for me.2010, Peter Corris, Torn Apart, Allen and Unwin, page 117
  4. (historical) A member of the light cavalry.

Verb (2)

light (third-person singular simple present lights, present participle lighting, simple past and past participle lighted)

  1. To unload a ship, or to jettison material to make it lighter.
  2. To lighten; to ease of a burden; to take off.
    • His mailèd habergeon she did undight, / And from his head his heavy burgonet did light.1590, Edmund Spenser, “(please specify the book)”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC
  3. (broadly) To leave; to depart.

Verb (3)

light (third-person singular simple present lights, present participle lighting, simple past and past participle lit or lighted or (obsolete) light)

  1. To find by chance.
    • I lit upon a rare book in a second-hand bookseller's.
  2. To stop upon (of eyes or a glance); to notice.
    • "Sacredam!" he cried, when his eyes lit upon Buck. "Dat one dam bully dog! Eh? How moch?"1903 July, Jack London, “Into the Primitive”, in The Call of the Wild, New York, N.Y.: The Macmillan Company; London: Macmillan & Co., →OCLC, page 34
  3. (archaic) To alight; to land or come down.
    • She fell out of the window but luckily lit on her feet.
    • [W]e knew not what Courſe to take, but the Creatures [wolves] reſolv'd us ſoon, for they gather'd about us preſently, in Hopes of Prey, […] I drew my little Troop in among thoſe Trees, and placing our ſelves in a Line, behind one long Tree, I advis'd them all to light, and keeping that Tree before...1719 May 6 (Gregorian calendar), [Daniel Defoe], The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, […], London: […] W[illiam] Taylor […], →OCLC, pages 356–357
    Synonyms:
    alight, land

Noun (3) capitalized: Light

Light (plural Lights)

  1. (honorific) Honorific alternative letter-case form of light, sometimes used when referring to God or another important figure who is understood from context.

Proper noun capitalized: Light

Light

  1. A surname.
  2. An unincorporated community in Greene County, Arkansas, United States.
  3. An unincorporated community in Maries County, Missouri, United States.
  4. A local government area north of Adelaide, South Australia, named after the River Light; in full, Light Regional Council.
  5. A river in the Mid North region, South Australia, named after William Light; in full, the River Light.
  6. The 24th sura (chapter) of the Qur'an.

light meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Urdu

light in Hindi

source of illumination
प्रकाश prakāś, उजाला ujālā, आलोक ālok, उज्ज्वल ujjval, दीप्ति dīpti, ज्योति jyoti
spiritual illumination
तेज tej
electromagnetic waves
प्रकाश prakāś, रौशनी rauśnī, उजाला ujālā, उज्ज्वल ujjval, आलोक ālok, ज्योति jyoti
to start (a fire)
जलाना jalānā, प्रज्वलन prajvalan

light in Tamil

electromagnetic waves
ஒளி oḷi

light in Marathi

electromagnetic waves
प्रकाश prakāś

light in Urdu

source of illumination
رَوشْنی rauśnī, روشْنی rośnī, پْرَکَاش prakāś, پَرْکَاش parkāś, بَتّی battī
electromagnetic waves
رَوشْنی rauśnī, روشْنی rośnī, پْرَکَاش prakāś, پَرْکَاش parkāś, نُور nūr
More languagesFewer languages
light in Bengali
আলো alō, রৌশনী rōuśoni, নূর nur, রওশন roōśon
light in Telugu
జ్యోతి jyōti, అంటించు aṇṭiñcu, కిటికి kiṭiki, జ్ఞానజ్యోతి jñānajyōti
light in Malayalam
വെളിച്ചം veḷiccaṁ, പ്രകാശം prakāśaṁ, കത്തിയ്ക്കുക kattiykkuka, പ്രകാശിയ്ക്കുക prakāśiykkuka
light in Kannada
ಬೆಳಕು beḷaku
light in Punjabi
ਲੋ lo, لو lo
light in Gujarati
પ્રકાશ prakāś, અજવાળું ajavāḷũ, ઉજાસ ujās, રોશની rośnī
light in Odia
ଆଲୋକ āloka
light in Sanskrit
प्रकाश prakāśa, भाम bhāma, लघु laghu
light in Sinhala
ආලෝකය ālōkaya
light in Assamese
পোহৰ pühor, পাতল patol
light in Nepali
प्रकाश prakāś
light in Pashto
ضيا zeyã, روښنايي rox̌nāyí, روڼايي rūṇāyí
light in Tagalog
ilaw, liwanag, ilawan, magaan
light in Arabic
نُور nūr, إِشَارَة مُرُور ʔišārat murūr, إِشَارَة ضَوْئِيَّة ʔišāra ḍawʔiyya, ضَوْء ḍawʔ
light in Malay
cahaya, nur, ringan
light in Indonesian
cahaya, ringan
light in Persian
افروختن afrôxtan, روشن کردن rowšan kardan, درگیرانیدن dargirânidan, افروزانیدن afruzânidan
light in Thai
แสง sɛ̌ɛng, จุด jùt, เผา pǎo, ส่อง sɔ̀ng
light in Vietnamese
đèn, lửa, cách, trạng thái
light in Myanmar
အလင်း a.lang:, မီး mi:, မီးထွန်း mi:htwan:

Examples of light in a sentence

  • Here the stripped panelling was warmly gold and the pictures, mostly of the English school, were mellow and gentle in the afternoon light.1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 3, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
  • For all that, the rapid arrival of electric light to Indian villages is long overdue.2013 July 20, “Out of the gloom”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8845:
  • When the studio light is on, I am recording my evening show.2016, VOA Learning English (public domain)
  • “Invisible light” seems like a contradiction.2017, Bob Berman, Zapped: From Infrared to X-rays, the Curious History of Invisible Light, Little, Brown and Company, →ISBN, pages 8-9:

All 40 example sentences with light

Synonyms of light

30 more synonymsFewer synonyms

Antonyms

10 more antonymsFewer antonyms

All synonyms and antonyms of light

Forms of light

Noun
plurallights
alternative Scotlandlicht
pluralLights
alternative form (informal, archaic)lite
alternative form (obsolete)lighte
alternative form (obsolete)lyght
alternative form (obsolete)lyghte
Verb
third-person singular presentlights
present participlelighting
past participlelit
pastlit
past participle uncommonlighted
past uncommonlighted
past participlelighted
pastlighted

Past tense of light: lit or lighted

Plural of light: lights

Origin of light

From Middle English light, liht, leoht, from Old English lēoht, from Proto-West Germanic *leuht, from Proto-Germanic *leuhtą, from Proto-Indo-European *lewktom, from the root *lewk- (“to shine”). Cognates * Scots licht (“light”) * Saterland Frisian Ljoacht, Lucht (“light”) * West Frisian ljocht (“light”) * Dutch licht (“light”) * German Licht (“light”) * German Low German Licht (“light”) * Limburgish Leech, Leet, Léït (“light”) * Luxembourgish Liicht (“light”) * Vilamovian łicht (“light”) * Yiddish ליכט (likht, “light”) * Danish and Norwegian Bokmål lys (“light”) * Elfdalian liuos (“light”) * Faroese and Icelandic ljós (“light”) * Norwegian Nynorsk ljos, ljus, lys (“light”) * Swedish ljus (“light”) * Latin lūx (“light”) * Russian луч (luč, “beam of light”) * Armenian լույս (luys, “light”) * Ancient Greek λευκός (leukós, “white”) * Persian رُخش (roxš).

From Middle English lighten, lihten, from Old English līehtan (“to light, to shine”), from Proto-Germanic *liuhtijaną, from *leuhtą + *-janą. Cognate with German leuchten (“to shine”).

From Middle English light, liht, leoht, from Old English lēoht (“luminous, bright, light, clear, resplendent, renowned, beautiful”), from Proto-Germanic *leuhtaz (“light”), from Proto-Indo-European *lewk- (“light”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian ljoacht (“light”), Dutch licht, German licht.

Words formed from light

Phrases with light

175 more phrasesFewer phrases

Words that rhyme with light

48 more rhymesFewer rhymes

Questions about light

What does light mean?
Light means electromagnetic radiation in the wavelength range visible to the human eye (about 400–750 nanometers): visible light.
What is light in Hindi?
Light in Hindi is प्रकाश (prakāś), उजाला (ujālā), आलोक (ālok). See Light meaning in Hindi.
How do you use light in a sentence?
Here the stripped panelling was warmly gold and the pictures, mostly of the English school, were mellow and gentle in the afternoon light.
What part of speech is light?
Light can be a noun, a verb, an adjective or an adverb.
How do you pronounce light?
Light is pronounced /laɪt/.
What is the plural of light?
The plural of light is lights.

Words near light in the dictionary

  1. liggerati
  2. liggers
  3. Liggett
  4. Liggetts
  5. ligging
  6. light
  7. light a fire under
  8. light academia
  9. light aeon
  10. light aeons
  11. light air

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: light (page history and authors); Light (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated:

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: en-uk-light.ogg, en-us-light.ogg.

Cite this entry: “light.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/light. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.