lighting
Americannoun
-
the act of igniting or illuminating.
the lighting of many candles; the annual lighting of the Christmas tree.
-
the arrangement of lights to achieve particular effects.
to work out the lighting for one's living room.
-
an effect achieved by the arrangement of lights.
Several critics praised the lighting of the play.
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the science, theory, or method of achieving particular effects by the use of lights.
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the way light falls upon a face, object, etc., especially in a picture.
noun
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the act or quality of illumination or ignition
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the apparatus for supplying artificial light effects to a stage, film, or television set
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the distribution of light on an object or figure, as in painting, photography, etc
Other Word Forms
- self-lighting adjective
Etymology
Origin of lighting
First recorded before 1000; Middle English lightinge, Old English līhting; equivalent to light 1 + -ing 1
Vocabulary lists containing lighting
myPerspectives 10.1
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myPerspectives 9.2
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Theater - Introductory
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Investing in really good lighting can do more than any interior designer could hope to achieve.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 17, 2026
Our columnist sounds off on the ways hotels can up their game on everything from room lighting to oversize towels.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026
Guests enter via a descending ramp, accompanied by lighting effects and smoke, while hidden sound features add unexpected moments of surprise.
From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026
Behind every roof beam is recessed LED lighting, with individual lighting control for every strand.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026
“I think the lighting in here is much better.”
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
