Dictionary

light bulb en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈlaɪtˌbʌlb/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From light + bulb First attested in 1885.

Meanings

1. An evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament which is heated by electrical resistance to produce light.
   • Atticus did something that interested us: he came into the livingroom carrying a long electrical extension cord. There was a light bulb on the end. 1960 July 11, Harper Lee, chapter 15, in To Kill a Mockingbird, Philadelphia, Pa.; New York, N.Y.: J[oshua] B[allinger] Lippincott Company, →OCLC:
2. (broadly) An article that resembles such a bulb and converts electricity to light by any process.
   • a fluorescent light bulb
   • an LED light bulb
3. (figuratively) Used in reference to the sudden arrival of a realization, an inspiration, an idea, or the like.
   • a light-bulb moment
   • Figuratively speaking, a light-bulb flashed over Galvin's head early this year, and in March–along […] 1949, Forbes, volume 64, page 18:
   • A light bulb went off in my head as I had an incredible idea for a beauty product. 2010, Sandy Abrams, Your Idea, Inc., Abrams Media, →ISBN, page xi:

Forms

Deriveds

light bulb joke · light-bulbed · light-bulb moment

Synonyms

bulb · glow-lamp · incandescent lamp · light globe

Translations (167)

de Birne (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · hi प्रकाश बल्ब (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · prs گُرُوپ (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · fi lamppu (sudden arrival of idea etc. — see also light-bulb moment) · cy bwlb golau (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · sl žarnica (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nb pære (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · hy լամպուշկա (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · la ampulla electrica (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · uz lampochka (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ur لَیمْپ (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · yue 電燈膽 /电灯胆 (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ca bombeta (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ps ګروپ (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · mk сијалица (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · pl żarówka (resembling article that converts electricity to light) · fr ampoule électrique (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · cmn 電燈泡 /电灯泡 (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · sw balbu (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · he נוּרָה (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ar لَمْبَة (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nl peer (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · es ampolleta (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · de Glühbirne (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · cmn 燈泡 /灯泡 (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nan-hbl 電火球 /电火球 (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · el λάμπα (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · sh žàrulja (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · fr ampoule (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · et lamp (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nrf lampion êlectrique (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · sh sȉjalica (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · uk жарі́вка (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ky чырак (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ky лампочка (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · km អំផូង (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ru ла́мпа (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · th หลอดไฟฟ้า (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · eo ampolo (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · kk шам (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · uk ла́мпа розжа́рювання (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · el ηλεκτρικός λαμπτήρας (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · fi lamppu (resembling article that converts electricity to light) · ar مِصْبَاح (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · am አምፖል (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · fo ljóspera (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nl gloeilamp (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · sk žiarovka (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · sv glödlampa (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · be ля́мпачка (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · pt bulbo (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · yi לעמפּל (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · et pirn (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · uk ла́мпочка (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · az lampa (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · pl żarówka (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ga bolgán (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · lo ໂຄມໄຟ (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · de Glühlampe (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · uz lampa (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · el ηλεκτρική λυχνία (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ms mentol lampu (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · pl lampka (sudden arrival of idea etc. — see also light-bulb moment) · tk lampoçka (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · la globulus electricus (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ar مِصْبَاح كَهْرَبَائِيّ (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ru электри́ческая ла́мпочка (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · da glødepære (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · bg кру́шка (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ar مِصْبَاح كَهْرُبَائِيّ (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nrf lampion (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · tg лампача (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · rsk грушочка (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · fa-ira لامْپِ بَرْق (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · kk лампыша (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · uk ла́мпа (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ko 전구 (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ro bec (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nan-hbl 電球 /电球 (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ky лампа (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · kk ләмпішке (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · es lamparita (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · prs گُرُوپِ بَرْق (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ug چىراغ (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · tk lampa (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · vi bóng đèn (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nl peer (resembling article that converts electricity to light) · mk светилка (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · tg чароғ (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · fa-ira لامْپ (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · fi lamppu (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · my ဘတ်သီး (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · hu izzó (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · tg чароғча (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · th หลอดไฟ (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · bg електри́ческа кру́шка (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · am አምፑል (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ru ла́мпочка (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ka ნათურა (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · be ля́мпа (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · tr ampul (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · is ljósapera (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · fi hehkulamppu (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · et elektripirn (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · tg лампочка (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · hi लैंप (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · hu villanykörte (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · hi बल्ब (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · hy էլեկտրական լամպ (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · sq llambë elektirke (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · la globus ignifer (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · lt lemputė (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · es bombillo (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ka ელექტრონათურა (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · be ля́мпа напа́льваньня (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · kmr ampûl (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · csb birna (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · fr lampe (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · mi pūrama (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · es bujía (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · pt lâmpada (resembling article that converts electricity to light) · sq llambë (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · gcr anpoul (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ti ኣምፑል (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · lv kvēlspuldze (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ur بَلْب (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nan-hbl 電珠 /电珠 (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nn lyspære (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · es bombilla (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · hu villanyégő (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · pt foco (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · khb ᦶᦉᧂᦺᦝ (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · lv spuldze (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · hu égő (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nl peertje (resembling article that converts electricity to light) · sh жа̀руља (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · az lampoçka (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · mn чийдэнгийн шил (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · be ла́мпа напа́львання (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · mn гэрлийн шил (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · km អំពូល (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ko 백열등 (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nb lyspære (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ug لامپا (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nn pære (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ja 電球 (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · hsb žehlawka (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · gd bolgan (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · cs žárovka (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · is pera (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · dsb žaglawka (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · mfe lanpoul (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nn ljospære (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · chk tama (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · nl peertje (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ru ла́мпа нака́ливания (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · es foco (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · ug لامپۇچكا (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · it lampadina (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · be ла́мпачка (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · da pære (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · km អំពូលភ្លើង (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · be ла́мпа (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · el γλόμπος (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · pt lâmpada (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · sh си̏јалица (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light) · io ampulo (evacuated glass bulb containing a metal filament that produces light)