light
English meaning: Light
Definition
Not weighing very much, or full of brightness.
Example
“This jacket is so light that you barely notice you are wearing it at all.”
Another example: “The room was filled with warm morning light.”
Usage — When, Where & How
Very common; an everyday word with two opposite-pair senses — not heavy (opposite 'heavy') and full of brightness (opposite 'dark'). Also a noun and verb ('turn on the light', 'light a candle'). Figurative 'light' can mean not serious.
Etymology & Origin
English — Origin & History
From Old English 'lēoht' (not heavy) and 'lēoht' (brightness), merged forms.
Related Words
Common Collocations
- light as a feather
- turn on the light
- light a fire
- bright light
- light rain
Word Forms
light (adj); lighter; lightest; light (n); light (v); lit/lighted (pp)
Word Tools
Literary Heritage
“To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.”
/To thine own self be true/
“Be honest with yourself — and as naturally as night follows day, you will be unable to be false to others.”
“I'm nobody! Who are you? Are you nobody, too?”
/I'm nobody! Who are you?/
“I am nobody — and that quiet anonymity is more honest than the noise of public fame.”
Images
CC-licensed · free to useVideo
Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B