light

English

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Alternative forms

Pronunciation

Etymology 1

From Middle English light, liht, leoht, from Old English lēoht (“light, daylight; power of vision; luminary; world”), from Proto-Germanic *leuhtą (“light”), from Proto-Indo-European *lewktom, from the root *lewk- (“light”). Cognate with Scots licht (“light”), West Frisian ljocht (“light”), Dutch licht (“light”), Low German licht (“light”), German Licht (“light”). Related also to Swedish ljus (“light”), Icelandic ljós (“light”), Latin lūx (“light”).

Noun

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Wikipedia light (plural lights)

  1. (uncountable) The natural medium emanating from the sun and other very hot sources (now recognised as electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength of 400-750 nm), within which vision is possible.
    As you can see, this spacious dining-room gets a lot of light in the mornings.
  2. A source of illumination.
    Put that light out!
  3. Spiritual or mental illumination; enlightenment, useful information.
    Can you throw any light on this problem?
  4. (in the plural, now rare) Facts. pieces of information; ideas, concepts.
    • 1621, Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy, Book I, New York 2001, p. 166:
      Now these notions are twofold, actions or habits [...], which are durable lights and notions, which we may use when we will.
  5. A notable person within a specific field or discipline.
    Picasso was one of the leading lights of the cubist movement.
  6. 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.
  7. A flame or something used to create fire.
    Hey, buddy, you got a light?
  8. A window, or space for a window in architecture
    This facade has eight south-facing lights.
  9. The series of squares reserved for the answer to a crossword clue
    The average length of a light on a 15x15 grid is 7 or 8.
  10. (informal) A cross-light in a double acrostic or triple acrostic.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Terms derived from light (noun)
Translations
electromagnetic wave
a source of light
a spiritual truth
a point of view
a flame or something used to create fire.
a window
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
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Etymology 2

From Middle English lighten, lihten, from Old English līhtan, lȳhtan, lēohtan (“to lighten, illuminate, give light, shine; grow light, dawn; light, kindle”).

Verb

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

  1. (transitive) To start (a fire).
    We lit the fire to get some heat.
  2. (transitive) To set fire to.
    She lit her last match.
  3. (transitive) To illuminate.
    I used my torch to light the way home through the woods in the night.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Derived terms
Translations
to start (a fire)
to illuminate
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

Etymology 3

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 Dutch licht, German licht.

Adjective

light (comparative lighter, superlative lightest)

  1. having light
    The room is nice and light when the sun shines through the window.
  2. pale in colour
    She had light skin.
  3. (of coffee) served with extra milk or cream
    I like my coffee light.
Synonyms
Derived terms
  • light-haired
  • light-skinned
Translations
having light
pale in colour
coffee: served with extra milk or cream

Etymology 4

From Old English lēoht, from Proto-Germanic *linhtaz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁lengʷʰ- (“light”). Cognate with Dutch licht, German leicht, Swedish lätt, Norwegian lett, Albanian lehtë, Latin levis, , Lithuanian lengvas, Sanskrit लघु (laghú).

Adjective

light (comparative lighter, superlative lightest)

  1. Of low weight; not heavy.
    My bag was much lighter once I had dropped off the books.
  2. Lightly-built; designed for speed or small loads.
    We took a light aircraft down to the city.
  3. Gentle; having little force or momentum.
    This artist clearly had a light, flowing touch.
  4. Low in fat, calories, alcohol, salt, etc.
    This light beer still gets you drunk if you have enough of it.
  5. Unimportant, trivial, having little value or significance.
    I made some light comment, and we moved on.
  6. (rail transport, of a locomotive, usually with "run") travelling with no carriages, wagons attached
  7. (obsolete) Unchaste, wanton.
    • 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.i:
      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.
    • Shakespeare
      So do not you; for you are a light girl.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Derived terms
Translations
of low weight
lightly-built
low in fat, calories, alcohol, salt, etc.
having little force or momentum
of little significance
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.
Translations to be checked

Adverb

light (comparative lighter, superlative lightest)

  1. Carrying little.
    I prefer to travel light.

Noun

light (plural lights)

  1. (curling) A stone that is not thrown hard enough.

Verb

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

  1. (nautical) To unload a ship, or to jettison material to make it lighter
Derived terms
Translations
unload a ship

Etymology 5

Old English līhtan

Verb

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

  1. To find by chance.
    I lit upon a rare book in a second-hand bookseller's.
  2. (archaic) To alight.
    She fell out of the window but luckily lit on her feet.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations
find by chance
alight

Statistics

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Spanish

Etymology

From English light.

Pronunciation

Adjective

light m and f singular & plural

  1. light (low in fat, calories, salt, alcohol, etc.)
  2. (of cigarettes) light (low in tar, nicotine and other noxious chemicals)
  3. (by extension) Lacking substance or seriousness; lite.

Usage notes

  • As a foreign term with unassimilated spelling and pronunciation, light is usually rendered in italics in formal contexts or published writings.

References

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Last modified on 21 May 2013, at 18:08