traffic light

noun

: a visual signal (such as a system of colored lights) for controlling traffic

Examples of traffic light in a Sentence

Take a left at the traffic light.

Recent Examples on the Web

And during a massive power outage in San Francisco, Waymo cars froze, blocking intersections when traffic lights went out. —Talia Soglin, Chicago Tribune, 25 Feb. 2026

The incident happened Tuesday afternoon in a trendy section of the Midwest city, when a sport utility vehicle and a pickup truck waiting at a traffic light dropped into a hole several feet deep when the pavement under them suddenly gave way. —ABC News, 25 Feb. 2026

Charges have been filed in the case of a car crash at a traffic light on Friday night in Detroit that killed a 9-year-old girl and injured a woman. —Paula Wethington, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026

Continuing efforts to slow vehicles on busy La Jolla roads, the local Traffic & Transportation Board discussed the possibility of reprogramming traffic lights and installing temporary speed humps. —Noah Lyons, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for traffic light

• acolyte
• aconite
• allanite
• alunite
• amberlite
• ammonite
• amorite
• amphitrite
• analyte
• anchorite
• andesite
• anhydrite

Kids Definition

traffic light

noun

: a visual signal (as a system of green, yellow, and red lights) for controlling traffic