limelight

[ lahym-lahyt ]

noun

1. Theater.
   1. (formerly) a lighting unit for spotlighting the front of the stage, producing illumination by means of a flame of mixed gases directed at a cylinder of lime and having a special lens for concentrating the light in a strong beam.
   2. the light so produced.
   3. Chiefly British. a lighting unit, especially a spotlight.
2. the center of public attention, interest, observation, or notoriety:

   He seems fond of the limelight.

limelight

/ ˈlaɪmˌlaɪt /

noun

1. the limelight
   a position of public attention or notice (esp in the phrase in the limelight )
2. 1. a type of lamp, formerly used in stage lighting, in which light is produced by heating lime to white heat
   2. Also calledcalcium light brilliant white light produced in this way

Derived Forms

• ˈlimeˌlighter, noun

Other Words From

• limelighter noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of limelight¹

First recorded in 1820–30; lime ² + light ¹

Example Sentences

Moreover, these links are a great way to reach out, make connections, and get your content in the desired limelight.

From Search Engine Watch

A rich result undoubtedly gets more limelight and hence more attention from users which means that their CTRs also increase tremendously.

From Search Engine Watch

Olfaction, long the Cinderella of the senses, was thrown into the limelight of the scientific mainstream.

From Nautilus

Not to be outdone at the ’85 Cologne show, Harley-Davidson was, as usual, way ahead of its time with this Sportster-powered, Katana-inspired Café Racer, which shared the limelight with the new GSX-R750, Bimota Tesi, et al.

From Popular-Science

Meanwhile, brands owned by Dongguan-based BBK Electronics Corporation—realme, Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, and iQOO—were also in the limelight.

From Quartz

The brazen land grab of Crimea was planned while Putin was enjoying the limelight of the Sochi Winter Olympics.

From The Daily Beast

However, Cooke can never really bring himself to see Joplin as ruined by the limelight.

From The Daily Beast

There were speeches, but not from Joe Sutter, who held back from the limelight.

From The Daily Beast

But Sam more or less managed to stay out of the limelight until he was connected to the star of Sydney White.

From The Daily Beast

But it became pretty clear once Levine was in the limelight why this Jane dumped his ass.

From The Daily Beast

Limelight and the center of the stage was a passion of Sam Clemens's boyhood, a love of the spectacular that never wholly died.

From Project Gutenberg

Used to going unostentatiously about with her chums, she now found herself continually in the limelight.

From Project Gutenberg

The vulgarity and love of the limelight which Du Maurier had satirized were multiplied tenfold.

From Project Gutenberg

The clashing bayonets flashed like quicksilver, and faces were lit up as by limelight.

From Project Gutenberg

Years ago a limelight was so arranged as to be used on board ship for illuminating objects at a great distance.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• glare
• prominence
• public eye
• spotlight