Illustration of light bulb
- 1 bulb containing gas
- 2 filament
- 3 connecting and supporting wires
- 4 exhaust tube
- 5 screw base
- 6 base contact
light bulb
noun
variants
or lightbulb
plural light bulbs or lightbulbs
: an electric lamp: such as
a
: one in which a filament gives off light when heated to incandescence by an electric current
called also incandescent, incandescent lamp
b
: one having a coating of fluorescent material on its inner surface that emits visible light : fluorescent lamp
especially
: compact fluorescent light
c
: one using LEDs to generate light
Examples of light bulb in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The only means of communication the public had when trying to reach its police was a light bulb, which hung in the intersection at Main Street South and Second Avenue.
—
Kay Johnson, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
With more-efficient light bulbs, people may keep their lights on for longer or build things like the Sphere in Las Vegas.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 4 Feb. 2025
Then of course there are things like light bulbs, electric motors—oh, and computers.
—Rhett Allain, WIRED, 24 Jan. 2025
The light bulb that keeps going even when the power goes out!
—airmail.news, 18 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for light bulb 
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Kay Johnson, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025
With more-efficient light bulbs, people may keep their lights on for longer or build things like the Sphere in Las Vegas.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 4 Feb. 2025
Then of course there are things like light bulbs, electric motors—oh, and computers.
—Rhett Allain, WIRED, 24 Jan. 2025
The light bulb that keeps going even when the power goes out!
—airmail.news, 18 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for light bulb
Dictionary Entries Near light bulb
Cite this Entry
“Light bulb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/light%20bulb. Accessed 13 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
lightbulb
noun
light·bulb
ˈlīt-ˌbəlb 
: an electric lamp: as
a
: one in which a filament gives off light when heated by an electric current
called also incandescent lamp
b
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