lighthouse

noun

light·​house ˈlīt-ˌhau̇s How to pronounce lighthouse (audio)
1
: a structure (such as a tower) with a powerful light that gives a continuous or intermittent signal to navigators
2

Illustration of lighthouse

Illustration of lighthouse
  • lighthouse 1

Examples of lighthouse in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The shoreline was preserved, and the lighthouse fully restored and opened to the public. Dorothy Wickenden, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023 The musical, in which a detective investigates the murder of a woman in a lighthouse that was only witnessed by her infant triplets, is meant to salvage the show, and his career. Caitlin Huston, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Oct. 2023 All the emotion at the start of the contest — with the appearance of Tom Brady near the top of the lighthouse and the wild weather — was drained from the stadium. Christopher Price, BostonGlobe.com, 10 Sep. 2023 Two historic lighthouses rise above the sand and tree lines, Bodie Island Lighthouse near Oregon Inlet and the Currituck Beach Lighthouse about 42 miles northward, not far from the sands where wild horses roam. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2023 The lighthouse is active as a Coast Guard aid to navigation. Patrick Whittle, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2023 The route continues past lighthouses and beach villages for some 148 miles—requiring two ferry rides to complete—and culminates on the northernmost Currituck Banks, where the oceanfront is traversed by four-wheel drive trucks and wild horses. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 10 Oct. 2023 The lighthouse was open to the public as part of Maine Open Lighthouse Day, which is a day when the state’s scenic lighthouses are open to the public. Patrick Whittle, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2023 Travelers drawn to the nostalgic allure of lighthouses shouldn't miss its lighthouses: the 40 Mile Point Lighthouse, the Old Presque Isle Lighthouse, and the New Presque Isle Lighthouse built between 1840 and 1896. Dobrina Zhekova, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lighthouse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1606, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lighthouse was in 1606

Dictionary Entries Near lighthouse

Cite this Entry

“Lighthouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lighthouse. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

lighthouse

noun
light·​house -ˌhau̇s How to pronounce lighthouse (audio)
: a tower with a powerful light at the top that is built on or near the shore to guide sailors at night
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!