# lights

/ˈɫaɪts/ (US) · /lˈaɪts/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/lights
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. lamps or sources of brightness

noun · CEFR A1

more than one lamp or source of light.

For teachers: plural form of light; multiple devices or sources that produce illumination.

- The city lights looked beautiful from the top of the hill at night.
- The stadium lights flickered momentarily before reaching full brightness, casting long shadows across the freshly mown grass.

### 2. traffic signals

noun · CEFR A2

the red, yellow, and green signals that tell cars when to stop and go.

For teachers: a set of coloured lights, typically red, amber, and green, for controlling municipal traffic.

- Wait for the lights to turn green before you cross the street.
- The driver was fined for accelerating through the lights just as they transitioned from amber to red.

### 3. animal lungs

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · British English

the lungs of an animal, usually when used as food for pets.

For teachers: the lungs of an animal, especially when used as an ingredient in offal-based dishes or pet food.

- The butcher sold a mix of liver and lights to the local dog owner.
- Traditional recipes for haggis often include the heart, liver, and lights of a sheep, minced with suet and oatmeal.

Usage: Usually plural in this sense.

## Examples

- Please turn off the lights when you leave the room.
- The city lights looked beautiful from the top of the hill as the sun began to set.
- The stage lights dimmed slowly, signaling to the audience that the final act of the play was about to commence.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.