red-light

1 of 2

adjective

ˈred-ˈlīt 

variants or less commonly red light

: relating to or being an area with many brothels or sex workers

Just inside the entrance to "Picasso Érotique," the exhibition's designer has recreated an imagined bordello bedroom as one might have existed in the red-light district of Barcelona in the era of Picasso's youth.

—Arthur C. Danto

In the beginning, entertainment ran more along the lines of saloons, card games and red light activities.

—Jennifer Houghton

red light

2 of 2

noun

: a warning signal

especially : a red traffic signal

Synonyms of red-light

Noun

• warning
• red flag
• sign
• handwriting on the wall

Examples of red-light in a Sentence

Noun

the reporter took her glower as a red light and stopped asking questions

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Last month, West Bridgewater Police conducted a traffic stop on North Main Street for a red-light violation. —Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 23 Dec. 2025

Solbasium's red-light therapy technology helps reduce inflammation, speed muscle recovery, improve skin healing and support overall wellness. —Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 14 Dec. 2025

Noun

Phantom Ranch uses only red lights for its exterior illumination, helping visitors retain their night vision to take in the stars—and there are a lot of them. —Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 11 Jan. 2026

Investigators alleged that Owens was traveling east on Sixth Street and ran a red light before smashing into a gray 2022 Nissan Altima that was traveling south on Atlantic Avenue. —Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1878, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1849, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for red-light

• affright
• airtight
• albite
• alight
• alright
• aplite
• aright
• bainite
• birthright
• bobwhite
• bornite
• bullfight