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

It’s not defined by its shootouts and red-light-always-on entertainment. —Sam McDowell 24, Kansas City Star, 24 Nov. 2025

After her stitches were removed, Clementine underwent two months of physical and red-light therapy. —Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Nov. 2025

Noun

Suddenly the tree cracks and topples, amid a blaze of red light. —Demetrios Matheou, HollywoodReporter, 22 Nov. 2025

An intersection in East Boston has become a concern for residents who say the stretch of road is extremely confusing for drivers because one direction has a blinking red light and the other a blinking yellow. —Mike Sullivan, CBS News, 22 Nov. 2025

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