Word
lightbulb
Phoneticslight·bulb, stress on the first syllable
/ˈɫaɪtˌbəɫb/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a glass container that produces light when electricity passes through it. You find them in every room of a house to help you see at night.
n. a glass container containing a filament or gas that produces light when an electric current is passed through it. Often used metonymically to refer to the concept of an idea or the person who had it.
Examples
“The lightbulb in the kitchen is broken.”
“He replaced the old lightbulb with a more energy-efficient LED version to save on his electricity bill.”
“While the lightbulb is often credited to Edison, the history of electric lighting is a complex web of patents and incremental improvements by numerous inventors across several decades.”
Examples
simple
“The lightbulb in the kitchen is broken.”
contextual
“He replaced the old lightbulb with a more energy-efficient LED version to save on his electricity bill.”
complex
“While the lightbulb is often credited to Edison, the history of electric lighting is a complex web of patents and incremental improvements by numerous inventors across several decades.”
Etymology
Calque from Cantonese 電燈泡／电灯泡 (din6 dang1 paau1), as though the third person is a light bulb in the background.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Pre-2
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/lightbulb