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

• caution
• red flag
• tip-off
• tocsin
• wake-up call
• warning

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

Fort Worth’s red-light district did not extend west of Main Street or north of Ninth Street. —Richard Selcer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 June 2025

This particular title, a hysterical New York apartment melodrama in the style of Doris Wishman, was a poor fit for the all-night theaters in Amsterdam’s red-light district. —Katie Rife, IndieWire, 11 June 2025

Noun

There's two options with the switch: the first will turn on a red light, to tell you the thermal brush is heating up. —Nena Farrell, Wired News, 20 June 2025

Lamping allegedly ran a red light at the intersection of the two roads, and the Chevrolet pickup struck the driver’s side of the Toyota at highway speed, the highway patrol said. —Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 18 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