alight

English

Pronunciation

  • enPR: ə-līt', IPA(key): /əˈlaɪt/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪt

Etymology 1

From Middle English alighten, from Old English ālīhtan (“to lighten, relieve, alleviate, take off, take away, alight”) and Old English ġelīhtan (“to lighten, mitigate, assuage”), equivalent to a- +‎ light.

Verb

alight (third-person singular simple present alights, present participle alighting, simple past and past participle alighted)

  1. (transitive) To make light or less heavy; lighten; alleviate.

Etymology 2

From Middle English alighten, from Old English ālīhtan (“to alight, dismount”), from prefix ā- (compare with Gothic us-, German er-, originally meaning "out") + līhtan (“to alight”), and Old English ġelīhtan (“to alight, approach, come, come down, dismount”), equivalent to a- +‎ light (“to dismount”).

Verb

alight (third-person singular simple present alights, present participle alighting, simple past and past participle alighted or alit)

  1. (intransitive, with from) To get off or exit a vehicle or animal; to descend; to dismount.
    He alighted from his horse.
    Passengers are alighting from the carriage
  2. (intransitive, with on) To descend and settle, lodge, rest, or stop.
    A flying bird alights on a tree
    Snow alights on a roof.
  3. (intransitive, followed by "upon") To find by accident
Synonyms
Translations

Etymology 3

From Middle English alighten, from Old English ālīhtan (“to light up, enlighten”), equivalent to a- +‎ light. Cognate with German erleuchten (“to light up, illuminate”).

Verb

alight (third-person singular simple present alights, present participle alighting, simple past and past participle alit or alighted)

  1. (transitive) To light; light up; illuminate.
  2. (transitive) To set light to; light.

Etymology 4

From Middle English alight, from Old English *ālīhted, past participle of ālīhtan (“to alight”). See above.

Alternative forms

Adjective

alight (not comparable)

  1. Lit, on fire, switched on.
    The sticks were damp and wouldn't catch alight.
  2. (figuratively) Lit; on fire, burning.
    Her face was alight with happiness.
Usage notes

Used only as a predicative.

Translations
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