alight

1 of 2

verb

ə-ˈlīt 

alighted also alit ə-ˈlit  ; alighting

intransitive verb

1

: to come down from something (such as a vehicle): such as

a

: dismount

They alighted from the bus.

b

: deplane

2

: to descend from or as if from the air and come to rest : land, settle

The bird alighted on a branch.

snow alighting on a roof

3

archaic : to come by chance

alightment

ə-ˈlīt-mənt 

noun

alight

2 of 2

adjective

1

chiefly British : being on fire

2

: lighted up

The sky was alight with stars.

Synonyms

Verb

• land
• light
• perch
• roost
• settle
• touch down

Adjective

• ablaze
• bright
• brightened
• illuminated
• illumined
• light
• lightsome
• lit
• lighted

Examples of alight in a Sentence

Verb

A group of tourists alighted from the boat.

a flock of eight swans circled above, then alighted on the pond

Adjective

The sky was alight with stars.

Enemy soldiers set the building alight.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The movement has been gaining traction on the right more recently as the housing crisis has alighted on more red localities, as the New York Times reported earlier this year. —Emily Peck, Axios, 4 Oct. 2024

His attention settles here before hopping there, like a pigeon in Trafalgar Square alighting on a statue’s arm before fluttering up to its head. —Rebecca Mead, The New Yorker, 30 Sep. 2024

Adjective

Reuters — The man accused of dousing in petrol and setting alight Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei has died from burns sustained during the fatal attack on the Ugandan athlete, a hospital official said on Tuesday. —Reuters, CNN, 10 Sep. 2024

As nightfall fell upon Europe, images were already surfacing on social media of towns and countries on mainland Europe, such as Austria and Italy, being alight with bright pink spires rising high above the horizon. —Shaun Goodwin, Idaho Statesman, 10 May 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English alighten "to descend, get off (of), dismount," going back to Old English alīhtan (transitive) "to lighten, relieve," (intransitive) "to descend, get off (of)," from a-, perfective prefix + līhtan "to make lighter, descend, dismount" — more at abide, light entry 6

Adjective

Middle English alyht, alight, past participle of alighten "to set on fire, kindle, shed spiritual light on," going back to Old English alīhtan "to illuminate, light up," from a-, perfective prefix + līhtan "to shed light, set on fire" — more at abide, light entry 3

Note: In Modern English reanalyzed as a- entry 1 + light entry 1, by analogy with ablaze, afire, aflame.

First Known Use

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing alight

• alight on/upon
• set the world alight

Kids Definition

alight

1 of 2 verb

ə-ˈlīt 

alighted

-ˈlīt-əd

also alit ə-ˈlit  ; alighting

1

: to get down : dismount

2

: to descend from the air and settle : land

the bird alighted on a twig

alight

2 of 2 adjective

: full of light : lighted up

the sky was alight with stars