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Dictionary

Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

backlight en · NOUN

Pronunciation

  • /ˈbæk.laɪt/
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From back + light.

Meanings

  1. (uncountable) Light shining from a source behind the object of interest or attention.
    • The backlight from the sunset cast the pier and the crowd in silhouette.
    • Egg candling uses backlight to look for chick embryos.
  2. (countable) Light shining from a source behind the object of interest or attention. ▸ A spotlight that illuminates a photographic subject from behind.
  3. (uncountable) Light shining from a source behind the object of interest or attention. ▸ Light that is behind a photographic subject.
    • If I do use backlight, it's not to separate the subject from the background; I use it to set a psychological mood, or to create a look. 2006, Michael Grecco, Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait, Amphoto Books, →ISBN, page 73:
  4. (countable) Light shining from a source behind the object of interest or attention. ▸ A light attached to an LCD display.
  5. (countable) The rear window of a motor car.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
backlights Number=Plur lexicographic

Translations (24)

cmn 背光 (spotlight that illuminates a photographic subject from behind) · ru подсве́тка (light attached to an LCD display) · nl backlight (light attached to an LCD display) · ca retroil·luminació (light attached to an LCD display) · eo fonlumo (light attached to an LCD display) · nl achterruit (rear window of a motor car) · fr lunette arrière (rear window of a motor car) · pt retroiluminação (light attached to an LCD display) · es contraluz (spotlight that illuminates a photographic subject from behind) · es retroiluminación (light attached to an LCD display) · ca contrallum (spotlight that illuminates a photographic subject from behind) · fr rétroéclairage (light attached to an LCD display) · it retroilluminazione (light attached to an LCD display) · cmn 後擋風玻璃 /后挡风玻璃 (rear window of a motor car) · nl tegenlicht (spotlight that illuminates a photographic subject from behind) · hu ellenfény (spotlight that illuminates a photographic subject from behind) · cmn 後窗 /后窗 (rear window of a motor car) · cmn 背光模組 /背光模组 (light attached to an LCD display) · ca contraclaror (spotlight that illuminates a photographic subject from behind) · cmn 背光燈 /背光灯 (light attached to an LCD display) · fi takaikkuna (rear window of a motor car) · fr contrejour (spotlight that illuminates a photographic subject from behind) · fi taustavalo (spotlight that illuminates a photographic subject from behind) · fi taustavalo (light attached to an LCD display)

backlight en · VERB

Pronunciation

  • /ˈbæk.laɪt/
  • (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From back + light.

Meanings

  1. (transitive) To illuminate something from behind.
    • It offers few subtleties, but those can be effective, as when the chorus is backlighted in the rear of the auditorium to produce an ominous play of shadows onstage. 2007 June 2, James R. Oestreich, “Strange, Faraway Fantasies of Hell and Paradise”, in New York Times:
    • Backlit by the setting sun, an Avanti West Coast Class 390 Pendolino crosses the River Ribble at Preston on December 30 2022. 2023 March 22, “Modern Images”, in RAIL, page 61, photo caption:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
backlighting Tense=Pres, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
backlighted Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
backlighted Tense=Past lexicographic
backlit Tense=Past, VerbForm=Part lexicographic
backlit Tense=Past lexicographic
backlights Number=Sing, Person=3, Tense=Pres lexicographic

Translations (9)

es retroiluminar (illuminate something from behind) · cmn 背光照明 (illuminate something from behind) · cmn 從背後照明 /从背后照明 (illuminate something from behind) · fr rétro-éclairer (illuminate something from behind) · it illuminare dietro (illuminate something from behind) · it illuminare dal di dietro (illuminate something from behind) · it retroilluminare (illuminate something from behind) · fr éclairer par derrière (illuminate something from behind) · fi taustavalaista (illuminate something from behind)