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

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

After testing more than a half-dozen of the most popular and top-rated red-light therapy devices for home use on the market, our top pick is the Current Body LED Hair Growth Helmet. —Brigitt Earley, Glamour, 11 July 2025

To clamp down on speeding drivers and red-light runners, Phoenix plans to bring traffic cameras back to the city after six years. —Lorenzino Estrada, AZCentral.com, 3 July 2025

Noun

However, a Chinese diplomat ran a red light in central Prague while trying to maintain surveillance of the Taiwanese delegation. —Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025

Detectives also found Lumpkin had run a red light just before the fatal crash four blocks away and nearly struck two cars. —Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1894, 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