lamp

noun

ˈlamp 

1

a

: any of various devices for producing light or sometimes heat: such as

(1)

: a vessel with a wick for burning an inflammable liquid (such as oil) to produce light

(2)

: a glass bulb or tube that emits light produced by electricity (such as an incandescent light bulb or fluorescent lamp)

b

: a decorative appliance housing a lamp that is usually covered by a shade

2

: a celestial body

3

: a source of intellectual or spiritual illumination

4

: eye sense 1a

—usually plural

Synonyms of lamp

• light
• lighting
• candle
• headlight
• flashlight

Examples of lamp in a Sentence

I didn't realize it had gotten so dark in the room until my wife came in and turned on the lamp, momentarily blinding me.

Recent Examples on the Web

This pretty fixture works hard as a table lamp, candle warmer, and decor piece, offering a smoke-free way to add ambient light and fragrance to your space without the fire hazard. — Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Aug. 2026

Before Gould arrived, Gates’s team spent the day installing — making sure every bedspread, headboard, desk arrangement, lamp and, of course, the umbrella were perfectly in place. — Luke Chinman, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026

Examples include coastal shell mirrors in a city home, Eiffel Tower lamps, or farmhouse signs. — Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 26 Aug. 2026

Instead, LaMarque suggests adding decorative fixtures such as sconces, floor lamps, and table lamps to create atmosphere and intimacy in your living room. — Shagun Khare, The Spruce, 25 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French lampe, from Latin lampas, from Greek, from lampein to shine; akin to Hittite lap- to burn

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing lamp

• arc lamp
• compact fluorescent lamp
• discharge lamp
• floor lamp
• fluorescent lamp
• fog lamp
• glow lamp
• incandescent lamp
• lava lamp
• mercury-vapor lamp
• oil lamp
• quartz-iodine lamp
• safety lamp
• smoking lamp
• sodium lamp
• sodium-vapor lamp
• standard lamp
• student lamp

Rhymes for lamp

• amp
• champ
• clamp
• cramp
• damp
• gamp
• ramp
• samp
• scamp
• stamp
• tamp
• tramp

Kids Definition

lamp

noun

ˈlamp 

: a device for producing light or heat

Medical Definition

lamp

noun

ˈlamp 

: any of various devices for producing light or heat see kromayer lamp, slit lamp