flashlight
- 01 A2 Elementary
a small electric light that you carry in your hand, powered by batteries.
a portable, battery-powered handheld device used for illumination.
Simple“He used a flashlight to find his way to the bathroom during the power cut.”
In context“The campers relied on their flashlights to navigate the narrow trail back to the site after the sun had set.”
Teacher's tipIn British English, this device is almost always called a 'torch'. 'Flashlight' is the standard term in the US, Canada, and the Philippines.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
a device on a camera that makes a bright flash of light to take a photo.
a device or attachment used in photography to produce a brief, intense flash of artificial light.
Simple“The photographer adjusted the flashlight to avoid creating harsh shadows on the model's face.”
In context“Modern digital cameras often integrate the flashlight into the body, though professional photographers still prefer external units for better control.”
UsageIn modern photography, 'flash' is more common than 'flashlight' for this specific sense.
Synonymsflashflashgun
From flash + light.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.