Word
sunbeam
Phoneticssun·beam, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈsənˌbim/
UK/sˈʌnbiːm/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a bright ray of sunlight that you can see coming through a window or between clouds.
n. a ray or shaft of sunlight, especially one made visible by surrounding shade, cloud, or dust.
Examples
“A warm sunbeam falls across the kitchen table.”
“A single sunbeam breaks through the clouds and lights up the wet garden path.”
“Late afternoon sunbeams slant through the tall windows, catching dust in the quiet library air.”
Examples
simple
“A warm sunbeam falls across the kitchen table.”
contextual
“A single sunbeam breaks through the clouds and lights up the wet garden path.”
complex
“Late afternoon sunbeams slant through the tall windows, catching dust in the quiet library air.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “sunbeam” in context.
Verb
01. block sunbeam
“He closed the curtain to block the strong sunbeam.”
verb + noun
02. catch sunbeam
“The cat sat by the window to catch the sunbeam.”
verb + noun
03. enjoy sunbeam
“They sat on the bench to enjoy the late sunbeam.”
verb + noun
04. sunbeam breaks through
“A sunbeam breaks through the clouds after the rain.”
noun + verb + prep
Adjective
05. bright sunbeam
“A bright sunbeam lit up her desk by the window.”
adj + noun
06. golden sunbeam
“A golden sunbeam touched the tops of the trees.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. patch of sunbeam
“The dog lay down in a patch of sunbeam.”
noun + prep + noun
08. shaft of sunbeam
“A shaft of sunbeam cut through the dark room.”
noun + prep + noun
09. a sunbeam broke through
“A sunbeam broke through the thick grey clouds.”
10. a sunbeam shone through
“A sunbeam shone through the classroom window.”
11. bask in a sunbeam
“Our cat loves to bask in a sunbeam by the door.”
12. dust danced in the sunbeam
“Dust danced in the sunbeam coming through the window.”
Etymology
From Middle English sonnebeem, sonne beem, from Old English sunnbēam, sunnebēam (“sunbeam”), equivalent to sun + beam.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 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.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL 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: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/sunbeam