By Dr. Birbal Jha
Delhi, 31/07/2023: Let’s enrich our word power, by learning the derivatives of a word. Many words are derived from a root with the use of prefixes and suffixes. A prefix is added to the beginning of a root or a word whereas a suffix is affixed to the end of the stem of a word. Thus, derivatives are formed. At times, two words (for example, candlelight, daylight, earthlight, idiot-light, headlight, limelight, lovelight, moonlight, searchlight, etc) are combined to make new words. Such a formation of words plays a vital role in improving our vocabulary and expressions of various ideas and thoughts whatsoever.
Let’s have a quick look at the word ‘light’ which is something that makes vision possible. It means light gives us sight to see. The use of light is not limited to the facilitator of visibility only. It is more than that. It has a lot of figurative usage. You may either delight in reading this piece, or alight from the bus of this learning journey. This is a case in point.
Can you imagine being without light? If not, let’s get enlightened on its grammatical usage and linguistic value. The word ‘light’ can be used as a noun, a verb, an adjective or an adverb.
For example, we get natural light (n) from the sun whereas for an artificial one, we use an electric light, oil lamp, lantern or something else, to our delight and comfort of life. Hence, we light (v) a house with electricity when it is unlit/ unlighted. As required, we turn the light on or off. Further, we light a fire when cooking something, using a lighter or a matchbox. Those in the habit of smoking usually carry a lighter to light a ciggy, though they should avoid doing such a thing.
Let’s put it in a good light. We should remain careful to eat light and go out for our daily constitutional to be lightweight. In this regard, a light (adj) dinner is more advisable than a heavy breakfast. However, I don’t subscribe to the views of those thinking that they should be as light as a feather.
Mindfully, I always eat light, wear light and travel light (adv). In addition to them, I trip the light fantastic to celebrate an occasion whether it is a festival of lights or colours. However, ‘lights, camera, action’ is a cliché in the cine parlance.
An educated talk offers me the inner light which gives me sight to understand what is right and what is wrong, and what to do and what not to do. Therefore, I never take anyone or anything lightly (adv). I don’t light into others either. I mean to say that I don’t attack others either verbally or physically. I go light on others. In other words, I treat them, delicately, gently or leniently. Don’t take it lightly. Such was a pet phrase of my teacher, who was a leading light in English training.
“Nothing can travel faster than the speed of light”, my teacher said while enlightening me on the subject. Let’s have a look at an enlightening as well as entertaining proverb, ‘A light purse makes a heavy heart’, which means: not having enough money can cause one to suffer a lot of stress, worry, and unhappiness. This is what my teacher used to cite while casting light on the use of light and how one could achieve enlightenment and wisdom. Moreover, he used to say that ‘many hands make the light work’. However, work shirkers are said to be light on their efforts but heavy on their words. Moreover, some try to steal the limelight, say; they draw the focus of attention to themselves at the expense of others.
There are a good number of idioms and phrases with the word light. You may have been in a difficulty for long but then remember that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. However, with your good work coming to light, you will be in the spotlight. Thus, your eyes will light up. Let’s look up such words and phrases in a standard dictionary. In the light of a brief account of the light family above, we can sum up that word formation is central to the vocabulary-building process. I stand corrected and enlightened. Thank you so much for enlightening me. I express my gratitude to my teacher for lighting a fire under me with respect vocabulary enrichment.
Words and Phrases Containing Light
1. A light at the end of the tunnel
2. A light bulb goes off/on (in someone’s head)
3. Alight
4. Artificial light
5. As light as a feather
6. Backlight:
7. Bengal light
8. Black light
9. Bring to light
10. Candlelight
11. Cast/shed/throw light on
12. Come to light
13. Compact fluorescent light
14. Daylight
15. Delight
16. Delighted
17. Delightedly
18. Delightful
19. Delightfully
20. Delightfulness
21. Delightsome
22. Earthlight
23. Eat light
24. Enlighten: Can you please enlighten me on the subject?
25. Enlightened.
26. Enlightener
27. Enlightening
28. Enlightenment
29. Fanlight
30. Firelight
31. First light
32. Flashlight
33. Floodlight
34. Fog light
35. Footlight
36. Gaslight
37. Go light on
38. Green light
39. Half-light
40. Headlight
41. Hide one’s light under a bushel
42. Highlight
43. Highlighted
44. Highlighter
45. Highlighting
46. Hit the light
47. Houselight
48. Idiot light
49. In a bad light
50. In a different light
51. In a good light
52. In an unfavorable light
53. In light of/ In the light of
54. In someone’s light
55. In the best light
56. In the cold light of day
57. Incandescent light bulb
58. Inner light
59. Jump the light
60. Key light
61. Klieg light
62. Lamplight
63. Leading light
64. Light a fire under (someone)
65. Light adaptation
66. Light air
67. Light bread
68. Light breeze
69. Light bulb
70. Light chain
71. Light curve
72. Light dawns
73. Light guide
74. Light heart
75. Light heavyweight
76. Light housekeeping
77. Light industry
78. Light into
79. Light meter
80. Light on one’s feet
81. Light on/upon
82. Light opera
83. Light out
84. Light pen
85. Light pipe
86. Light pollution
87. Light quantum
88. Light reaction
89. Light reading
90. Light show
91. Light skinned
92. Light sleeper
93. Light snow
94. Light speed
95. Light table
96. Light the way
97. Light therapy
98. Light trap
99. Light up
100. Light up (something)
101. Light water
102. Lighted
103. Light-emitting diode
104. Lighten
105. Lightened
106. Lightener
107. Lightening
108. Lighter
109. Lightering
110. Lightfast
111. Light-fingered
112. Light-foot/ Light-footed
113. Light-handed
114. Lightheaded/ Light-headed
115. Lightheadedness
116. Lighthearted
117. Lightheartedly
118. Lightheartedness
119. Lighthouse
120. Lighting
121. Lightless
122. Lightly
123. Lightman
124. Light-minded
125. Lightness
126. Lightning
127. Lightning bug : Firefly
128. Light-of-love /Light-o’-love
129. Lightproof
130. Light-rail
131. Lightroom
132. Lightship
133. Lightsome
134. Lightweight
135. Lightwood
136. Light-year
137. Light-years ahead
138. Light-years away
139. Limelight
140. Lovelight
141. Lowlight
142. Make light of
143. Make short/quick/light work of
144. Many hands make light work
145. Moonlight
146. More heat than light
147. Natural light
148. Nightlight/ Night-light
149. Out like a light
150. Parking light
151. Penlight
152. Pilot light
153. Red light
154. Relight
155. Relighting
156. Running light
157. Safelight
158. Searchlight
159. See the light
160. See the light of day
161. Set light to
162. Sidelight
163. Skylight
164. Slight
165. Slighted
166. Slighter
167. Slightest
168. Slighting
169. Slightingly
170. Slightly
171. Slightness
172. Sound-and-light show
173. Spaceflight
174. Speed of light
175. Spotlight
176. St. Elmo’s light
177. Starlight
178. Stoplight
179. Streetlight
180. Strobe light
181. Sunlight
182. Superlight
183. Sweetness and light
184. Taillight
185. The light of someone’s life
186. Topflight
187. Torchlight
188. Traffic light
189. Travel light
190. Trick of the light
191. Trip the light fantastic
192. Twilight
193. Ultralight
194. Unenlightened
195. Unlighted
196. Unlit
197. Very light
198. Vigil light
199. Wax light
200. Zodiacal light