Dictionary

blinkenlights en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (UK) audio

Etymology

Pseudo-Germanism from blink and lights; see the Wikipedia article for history.

Meanings

1. (form-of, plural) plural of blinkenlight
   form of blinkenlight
2. (plural, plural-normally, slang) The flashing lights on an electronic device such as a modem, router, or network hub (originally the front-panel lights on old computers).
   • The back of the NIRT truck was crowded with consoles and flashing panels of blinkenlights, battered laptops plastered with security inventory stickers... 2007, Charles Stross, The Merchants' War:
   • I am talking about — of course — LED blinkenlights, the usually-blue glowing pimples that pepper routers, speakers, computers and even USB hubs. 2011 June 6, Charlie Sorrel, “LightDims: Tiny Sunglasses for Blinkenlights”, in WIRED, archived from the original on 08 Jun 2011:
   • Through a friend at hswaw [Warsaw Hackerspace], I have obtained a launchpad mini while working on this project (thanks drozdziak1!). ar jokingly suggested that I should velcro it to the [computer's] case and use it as blinklichter, and.. that was too good of an idea not to. 2023 August 27, sdomi, “Building a luggable computer (for absolutely no reason)”, in sdomi's webpage (weblog), archived from the original on 03 Sep 2023:

Forms