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English (UK)
Cambridge Dictionary Online

Meaning of light in English

light
noun
uk
/laɪt/ us
/laɪt/

light noun (BRIGHTNESS)

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B1 [ U ]
the brightness that comes from the sun, fire, etc. and from electrical devices, and that allows things to be seen:
It's a north-facing room so it doesn't get much light (= brightness from the sun).
bright light
fluorescent light
ultraviolet light
natural light Large windows bring in natural light.
light streams Light was streaming in through the open door.
beam of light
ray of light When a ray of light strikes a lens, it bends.
Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples
brightness that allows you to see
  • lightLight streamed in through the window.
  • brightnessThe brightness of the sun hurt his eyes.
  • illuminationFor professional-quality photos, it is best to use several sources of illumination.
  • sunThis plant needs to be in full sun.
  • sunlightSunlight streamed in through the windows.
  • daylightHow much daylight does this room get?
See more results »
A2 [ C ]
a piece of equipment that produces light, such as a lamp or a bulb:
turn a light on Could you turn the light on, please?
turn off a light Remember to turn off the lights when you leave the office.
turn out a light Remember to turn out the lights when you leave the office.
switch a light on He switched the light on and looked at the clock.
city lights She could see the city lights in the distance.
lights go down As the lights went down, the audience grew quiet.
electric light A generator powers a dim electric light.
My front bike light isn't working.
lights UK (also mainly US light)
traffic lights (= a set of red, yellow, and green lights that control the movement of vehicles, usually at a point where two or more roads join):
at the lights She stopped at the lights and saw him on the other side of the road.
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SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Light
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light noun (FLAME)

a light
something that will produce a flame and cause burning, such as a match or a cigarette lighter:
Have you got a light, please?
More examplesFewer examples
  • He asked me for a light.
  • She gave me a light.
  • I didn't have a light.
  • Can you give me a light?
  • I needed a light.
set light to something UK
to cause something to start burning:
The lamp caught fire and set light to the curtains.
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SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Tobacco & smoking
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light noun (LUNGS)

lights
[ plural ] mainly UK
animal lungs eaten as food:
The French like to poach lights before frying them with onions, tomatoes, and a wine sauce.
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Idioms

bring something to light
cast light on something
come to light
go out like a light
in the light of something
keep the lights on
light at the end of the tunnel
the light of your life
show someone in a bad light
light
adjective
uk
/laɪt/ us
/laɪt/

light adjective (NOT HEAVY)

A2
not weighing a lot:
Here, take this bag - it's quite light.
He's a few pounds lighter than he used to be.
How do you get your cakes so wonderfully light, Amy?
light touch He has a very light (= gentle) touch, which is what is required in massage.
light on your feet She's very light on her feet (= she moves gracefully).
Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples
not weighing much
  • lightThis is one of the lightest vacuum cleaners on the market.
  • lightweightI'm looking to buy a lightweight suitcase for my trip.
  • superlightMy new racing bike has a superlight frame.
  • ultra-lightweightThey've just released the latest in ultra-lightweight laptops.
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A2
Light clothes are made of thin material that allows you to be cool:
a light summer dress
Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples
made of thin material
  • lightAll you'll need is a light jacket to keep warm.
  • lightweightThese pants are made from a lightweight denim that is less stiff.
  • airyHer gown was made of an airy, delicate organza.
  • floatyThe ballerinas were in floaty tutus that fluttered as they danced.
  • etherealThe designer is known for his ethereal cocktail dresses that shimmer.
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More examplesFewer examples
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Light and weightless
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light adjective (BRIGHT)

B1
lit by the natural light of the day:
The big windows make the room feel wonderfully light and airy.
It gets light very early these summer mornings.
Summer is coming and the evenings are getting lighter (= getting dark later).
Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples
full of light so you can see
  • lightI'll wait until it's light outside before I go for a jog.
  • brightIt was quite bright in the examination room.
  • sunnyThe baby's nursery was bright and sunny.
  • sunlitThe house boasts a sunlit parlour with floor-to-ceiling windows.
  • sun-drenchedThey spent a week on the sun-drenched beaches of Bali.
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More examplesFewer examples
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
The qualities of light
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light adjective (PALE)

A1
(of colours) pale:
light blue/green
Opposite
dark
More examplesFewer examples
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Colourless or causing colour to fade
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light adjective (NOT SERIOUS)

entertaining and easily understood, but not serious and not intended to make you think:
light reading I want some light reading for the summer holidays - a romance or something.
light relief A lively argument between the two main speakers provided some light relief (= something enjoyable or amusing) in an otherwise dull conference.
See also
light entertainment
make light of something
C2
to behave as if a situation, especially a problem, is not serious or important:
It is easy to make light of other people's problems.
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SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Humour & humorous
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light adjective (NOT MUCH)

B1
not great in strength or amount:
light wind A light wind was blowing.
The traffic was quite light so we got through London quickly.
light rain It's only light rain - you don't need an umbrella.
Thesaurus: synonyms, antonyms, and examples
not strong or forceful
  • gentleA gentle breeze stirred the leaves.
  • mildThe children just have a mild cold.
  • softHer voice was so soft, I could barely hear her.
  • lightThe temperature in London is 24 degrees, with light winds out of the west.
  • lowKeep your voices low while the baby's sleeping.
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light eater/drinker/smoker
someone who eats/drinks/smokes only a little:
light eater If you are a light eater, I recommend snacking on Vietnamese summer rolls.
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light sleeper
someone who is easily woken up by noise, etc.:
I'm a very light sleeper.
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SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Weakness and vulnerability
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light adjective (MEAL/DRINK)

A light meal is small and easy to digest:
light snack I don't eat much for lunch - just a light snack.
light lunch The café serves light lunches of sandwiches and salads.
used to describe alcoholic drinks that are not strong in flavour:
It's described on the label as "light, fruity wine".
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Meals & parts of meals
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light adjective (NOT SEVERE)

needing only a very small amount of effort:
light exercise Try to do some light exercise, such as walking.
light housework He occasionally does a little light housework.
A light sentence in prison is a short one:
light sentence He got off with a fairly light sentence because it was his first conviction.
make light work of something/doing something
to do something quickly and easily:
Heather made light work of painting the walls.
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SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Easiness and simplicity
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Idiom

(as) light as a feather
light
verb
uk
/laɪt/ us
/laɪt/
lit or lighted | lit or lighted

light verb (START FLAMES)

B1 [ I or T ]
to start to burn or to make something start to burn:
I can't get the cooker to light.
light a fire
light a cigarette He lit his fifth cigarette in half an hour.
More examplesFewer examples
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Starting fires
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light verb (MAKE BRIGHT)

B2 [ T ]
to produce light that makes an object or area bright or easy to see:
The stage had been lit with candles.
light up Fireworks lit up the sky (= made the sky bright).
See also
light something up (MAKE BRIGHT)
SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases
Giving out light
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Idioms

light a fire under someone
light the lamp

Phrasal verbs

light on/upon something
light up
light something up
(Definition of light from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

light | American Dictionary

light
noun
us
/lɑɪt/

light noun (ENERGY)

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[ C/U ]
the energy from the sun or fire and from electrical devices that allows you to see clearly:
[ U ] Light was streaming through the windows.
[ U ] The light was so bright that it hurt my eyes.
[ C/U ]
A light is also anything that provides light, esp. an electric lamp:
[ C ] Don’t forget to turn off the lights when you leave.
[ C/U ]
A light is also a traffic light:
Let’s go – you’ve got a green light.

light noun (FLAME)

[ U ]
a device used to produce a flame, such as a match:
Excuse me, have you got a light?

Idioms

in (the) light of
light at the end of the tunnel
light
adjective
us
/lɑɪt/

light adjective (NOT HEAVY)

[ -er/-est only ]
having little weight; not heavy:
This suitcase is pretty light.
Ty’s a few pounds lighter than he used to be.
[ -er/-est only ]
Clothes that are light are made of thin material which allows you to be cool:
a light summer dress
[ -er/-est only ]
A light meal is a small one:
a light snack

light adjective (NOT FAT)

(also lite)
(of food) having less fat or fewer calories than usual:
light cream cheese

light adjective (NOT SERIOUS)

[ -er/-est only ]
intended to entertain; not serious:
Take along some light reading for the trip.

light adjective (NOT A LOT)

[ -er/-est only ]
not great in strength or amount; slight:
a light rain
light traffic
The doctor said it was OK to take light exercise, such as walking.
[ -er/-est only ]
A light sentence in prison is a short one.
[ -er/-est only ]
Tastes and smells described as light are not obvious:
a light scent of wildflowers
light eater/drinker
A light eater/drinker eats or drinks only a little.

light adjective (ENERGY)

[ -er/-est only ]
providing energy from the sun that allows you to see clearly:
It was still light out at eight in the evening.

Idiom

(as) light as a feather
light
adjective, adverb [ -er/-est only ]
us
/lɑɪt/

light adjective, adverb [-er/-est only] (PALE)

(of colors) pale:
a light-colored car
The walls were light green.
light
verb
us
/lɑɪt/
past tense and past participle lit us/lɪt/ lighted

light verb (ENERGY)

[ T ]
to provide with energy from the sun, fire, or electrical devices that allow you to see clearly:
The house was lit with candles for the dinner party.

light verb (FLAME)

[ I/T ]
to produce a flame:
[ I ] I can’t get the barbecue to light.
[ T ] I tried to light the fire, but the wood was wet.

Idiom

light a fire under someone

Phrasal verbs

light up
light up something
(Definition of light from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

light | Business English

light
adjective
uk
/laɪt/ us
Add to word list Add to word list
not great in size, strength, or amount:
Air traffic was very light at Heathrow so we were not delayed.
We had a light meal before we began negotiations.
TRANSPORT
used for describing forms of transport that are smaller or that use less power than the usual kind:
Fleets of light trucks deliver furniture to households throughout the region.
Light aircraft allow busy executives to fly anywhere at a moment's notice.
A contest for light rail development drew interest from urban planners.
needing only a very small amount of work or effort:
light chores/cleaning/work
light on sth
not having a lot of something:
light on details/facts/information His presentation was light on details as to how he would spend the money.
make light work of (doing) sth
to do something quickly or easily:
Workers from the second shift stayed late so we were able to make light work of unloading the deliveries.
light
noun
uk
/laɪt/ us
a way of thinking about or understanding something:
a bad/good/new light After they won all those awards, we saw them in a new light and decided they were serious competitors.
a negative/positive light We want to show our country in a positive light.
cast/shed light on sth
to show something about a situation that was previously unknown:
This sheds new light on why e-business investment does not always lead to improved firm performance.
give sth a/the green light
to give someone permission to do something:
Contractors were given a green light to install the infrastructure for the industrial park.
in the light of
UK
(US in light of)
because of something or as a result of something:
In light of problems we're having, we have no choice but to close the business.
(Definition of light from the Cambridge Business English Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

Examples of light

light
Besides nutrients and light, rice and weeds also competed for water.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Preconditioning with bright light evokes a protective response against light damage in the rat retina.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
However, this does not warrant totally abandoning the notion of separate senses, particularly in light of evidence of limits in cross-modal representations.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Interestingly, although the amplitude of the light response can be completely recovered, the characteristic feedback-induced rollback does not reappear.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
The size of the horizontal cell receptive fields adapts to the stimulus in the light adapted goldfish retina.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
A 3-min period of dark adaptation was followed by a 1-min period of light adaptation to the two surrounds.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
On a technical note, the maps are so blurred as to be sometimes unreadable and the print quality is light and indistinct on some pages.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
The child was then told that the lights in the room would be turned off.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
However, many problems have remained unsolved, and many supposed facts need to be revised in the light of recent research.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Luminance gradients are usually thought to provide cues about the interactions of light and surfaces that model the volume of the resulting object.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
One major cross-linguistic generalisation that is supported by these data concerns syllable weight : many stress systems distinguish between light and heavy syllables.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
In light of this, it would seem appropriate to try another analytical approach that could be appropriate for strongly nonlinear systems.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
Roughly speaking, life nudges the universe so as to allow light to circumnavigate the universe first in one direction, and then another.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
The pragmatic themes of reevaluation and revision in light of new information are evident in this method.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
All of them shed a direct or oblique light on the main themes of this project.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
See all examples of light
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.

Collocations with light

light

These are words often used in combination with light.

Click on a collocation to see more examples of it.

amber light
Report on human cloning through embryo splitting: an amber light.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
artificial light
It will be possible to modulate the transparency of the surface by mixing daylight, artificial light from above and artificial light from below.
From the Cambridge English Corpus
beacon light
That lead was followed, and it acted as a beacon light for the remainder of the war.
From the
Hansard archive
Example from the Hansard archive. Contains Parliamentary information licensed under the Open Parliament Licence v3.0
These examples are from corpora and from sources on the web. Any opinions in the examples do not represent the opinion of the Cambridge Dictionary editors or of Cambridge University Press or its licensors.
See all collocations with light
What is the pronunciation of light?
 

Translations of light

in Chinese (Traditional)
光亮, 光，光亮，光線, 發光體…
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in Chinese (Simplified)
光亮, 光，光亮，光线, 发光体…
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in Spanish
luz, ligero, claro…
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in Portuguese
luz, iluminação, leve…
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in Marathi
in Japanese
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in Dutch
in Tamil
in Hindi
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in Urdu
in Ukrainian
in Telugu
in Bengali
in Czech
in Indonesian
in Thai
in Vietnamese
in Polish
in Korean
in Italian
उजेड, दिवा, हलके…
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明かり, 光, （色が）淡い…
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ışık, lamba, hafif…
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lumière [feminine], feu [masculine], clair/claire…
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llum, clar, lleuger…
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licht, vuur, licht-…
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சூரியன், நெருப்பு மற்றும் மின் சாதனங்களிலிருந்து வரும் பிரகாசம். அது பொருட்களைக் காண அனுமதிக்கிறது, ஒரு விளக்கு அல்லது ஒரு விளக்கை போன்ற ஒளியை உருவாக்கும் உபகரணங்களில் ஒன்று…
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(सूर्य, आग या किसी बिजली के उपकरण से उत्पन्न) प्रकाश, रोशनी…
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પ્રકાશ, બત્તી, હળવું…
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lys, belysning, ild…
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ljus, lyse, eld…
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cahaya, lampu, api…
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das Licht, das Feuer, licht…
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lys [neuter], trafikklys [neuter], lyskryss [neuter]…
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روشنی, بتی, لائٹ…
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світло, освітлення, сірник…
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సూర్యుడు, అగ్ని మొదలైన వాటి నుండి మరియు ఎలక్ట్రికల్ పరికరాల నుండి వచ్చే ప్రకాశం, అది వస్తువులను చూడటానికి అనుమతిస్తుంది…
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আলো, লাইট, হালকা ওজন…
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světlo, oheň, světlý…
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sinar, lampu, api…
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แสงสว่าง, ไฟ, พิจารณา…
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ánh sáng, sự bật sáng, lửa…
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światło, lekki, jasny…
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전구, 등, 밝은…
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luce, chiaro, leggero…
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ligamentum flavum
ligand
ligation
ligature
light
light a cigarette
light a fire under someone idiom
light aircraft
light and shade idiom

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