lighting
gb/lˈaɪtɪŋ/ us/lˈaɪtɪŋ/
B1
English
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
abstract
1
Light in a place; illumination
the light in a room or place
Usage pattern:
[lighting] in/for [place]
Common mistake:
Do not confuse lighting with lightning (storms).
Synonyms
illumination (More formal and general.)
|
light (More basic and less specific about setup/quality.)
|
brightness (Focuses on intensity rather than source or design.)
Antonyms
darkness (No or very little light.)
|
gloom (Dim, unpleasant darkness.)
Collocations
good lighting
|poor lighting
|bright lighting
|low lighting
|overhead lighting
|fluorescent lighting
|LED lighting
|natural lighting
|indoor lighting
|outdoor lighting
Themes
daily_life
|home
|design
Examples
- The kitchen has great lighting, so it’s easy to cook at night.
- The hallway lighting is too dim to read the signs clearly.
- We improved the lighting in the office to reduce eye strain.
Learner examples
- The lighting in this room is bright.
- There is not enough lighting here.
Noun
B2
abstract
2
Lighting for photos, film, or TV
the lights used to make a scene look a certain way
Usage pattern:
[lighting] for/in [photo/scene/shoot]
Common mistake:
Learners may say lights when they mean lighting (overall look/arrangement).
Synonyms
illumination (More general; does not strongly suggest creative control.)
|
light design (Emphasizes planned artistic choices.)
Antonyms
flat light (Opposes dramatic or shaped lighting; little contrast.)
Collocations
dramatic lighting
|soft lighting
|harsh lighting
|cinematic lighting
|studio lighting
|portrait lighting
|back lighting
|low-key lighting
|high-key lighting
|lighting setup
Themes
arts_media
|photography
|film_tv
Examples
- The lighting in that scene makes the room feel tense and claustrophobic.
- We had to redo the shoot because the lighting was uneven.
- Good lighting can make a simple interview look professional.
Learner examples
- The lighting in the photo is soft.
- The lighting makes her face look bright.
Noun
B2
entity
3
Lights and lighting equipment
lamps and equipment that give light
Usage pattern:
[lighting] for [building/event/stage]
Common mistake:
Often used as a mass noun: lighting is installed/changed (not usually lightings).
Synonyms
lights (Common and short; can mean individual lamps rather than the whole system.)
|
fixtures (Refers mainly to the installed units, not overall equipment.)
Antonyms
blackout (A situation where lights are off or unavailable (especially in theatres/cities).)
Collocations
stage lighting
|theatre lighting
|event lighting
|architectural lighting
|lighting system
|lighting rig
|lighting fixtures
|installed lighting
|lighting controls
|lighting budget
Themes
home
|work
|arts_media
Examples
- They upgraded the lighting in the store to make the products stand out.
- The band brought their own lighting for the concert.
- The technician checked the lighting system before the show started.
Learner examples
- The lighting is new in this shop.
- They turned on the stage lighting.
Noun
B2
process
4
Act of lighting something
the action of making a flame or light start
Usage pattern:
the lighting of [candle/fire]
Common mistake:
More often expressed with the verb light (e.g., to light a candle) than with the noun lighting.
Synonyms
ignition (More technical; often used for engines or fuel.)
|
kindling (Usually refers to starting a fire with small sticks; not general.)
Antonyms
extinguishing (Putting out a flame.)
|
snuffing out (Extinguishing a small flame, especially a candle.)
Collocations
the lighting of candles
|the lighting of a fire
|ceremonial lighting
|lighting the candles
|lighting a cigarette
|lighting the grill
Themes
daily_life
Examples
- The lighting of candles marked the start of the ceremony.
- After the lighting of the fire, everyone gathered around to warm up.
- The manual explains the safe lighting of the grill.
Learner examples
- The lighting of the candles was slow.
- Lighting a fire can be dangerous.
Grammar
Dictionary form
lighting
IPA
GB/lˈaɪtɪŋ/
US/lˈaɪtɪŋ/
Syllables & stress
light - ing (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (light)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: lighting
- Plural: lighting, lightings
Word family
Expressions
ambient lighting
1/ˈæmbiənt lˈaɪtɪŋ/
fixed phrase
General background light
the main, general light in a room
Examples
- The bedroom has soft ambient lighting and no harsh overhead lights.
- Good ambient lighting makes the space feel bigger.
- We added ambient lighting behind the TV.
artificial lighting
1/ˌɑɹtəfˈɪʃəl lˈaɪtɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Light from lamps, not sun
light from lamps, not from the sun
Examples
- The office relies mostly on artificial lighting during winter.
- Artificial lighting can affect how colors look in a room.
- Plants near the window do better than those under artificial lighting.
emergency lighting
1/ɪmˈɚd͡ʒənsi lˈaɪtɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Backup lights in emergencies
backup lights for emergencies
Examples
- Emergency lighting came on when the power went out.
- The inspector checked the emergency lighting in the stairwell.
- Emergency lighting must be tested regularly.
mood lighting
1/mˈud lˈaɪtɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Soft light for a mood
soft light that creates a nice feeling
Examples
- They turned on some mood lighting for dinner.
- The restaurant uses mood lighting to make the space feel intimate.
- I like mood lighting in the living room in the evening.
natural lighting
1/nˈæt͡ʃɚəl lˈaɪtɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Light from the sun
light from the sun
Examples
- This apartment gets a lot of natural lighting in the afternoon.
- She prefers to take portraits in natural lighting.
- Natural lighting can change quickly on cloudy days.
stage lighting
1/stˈeɪd͡ʒ lˈaɪtɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Lights used in performances
lights used for a concert or play
Examples
- The stage lighting changed color with the music.
- Stage lighting made it hard to see the audience.
- They hired a specialist to program the stage lighting.
street lighting
1/stɹˈit lˈaɪtɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Lights along roads
lights on streets at night
Examples
- The street lighting is poor on that road, so drivers need to be careful.
- The city upgraded its street lighting to LED bulbs.
- Better street lighting can make neighborhoods feel safer.