First Known Use: before 12th century
Dictionary
1alight
verb \ə-ˈlīt\
of insects, birds, etc. : to stop on a surface after flying
: to step down from a boat, vehicle, etc.
alight·ed also alit\ə-ˈlit\alight·ing
Full Definition of ALIGHT
intransitive verb
3
archaic : to come by chance
— alight·ment noun
See alight defined for English-language learners
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Origin of ALIGHT
Rhymes with ALIGHT
affright, air right, airtight, albite, Albright, all right, all-night, a mite, aright, backbite, backlight, bauxite, bedight, birthright, black light, bleed white, bobwhite, bombsight, box kite, calcite, campsite, catfight, cockfight, contrite, cordite, Cushite, daylight, deadlight, delight, dendrite, despite, dogfight, downlight, downright, droplight, dust mite, earthlight, excite, eyebright, eyesight, fanlight, felsite, ferrite, finite, fire blight, firefight, firelight, first night, fistfight, flashlight, fleabite, floodlight, foresight, forthright, fortnight, freewrite, frostbite, Gadite, gall mite, gaslight, gastight, ghostwrite, goethite, graphite, green light, gummite, gunfight, half-light, halite, Hamite, handwrite, headlight, highlight, hindsight, Hittite, homesite, hoplite, Hussite, ignite, illite, infight, in-flight, incite, indict, indite, insight, in sight, invite, jacklight, jadeite, key light, lamplight, late blight, leucite, Levite, lighttight, lignite, limelight, lintwhite, lowlight, Lucite, Luddite, lyddite, marmite, Melchite, Memphite, midnight, millwright, moonlight, New Right, night-light, nitrite, off-site, off-white, on sight, on-site, outright, outsight, partite, peep sight, penlight, perlite, playwright, polite, preflight, prizefight, pyrite, quartzite, ratite, recite, red light, red-light, requite, respite, rewrite, rushlight, rust mite, safelight, samite, searchlight, Semite, Servite, Shemite, Shiite, shipwright, sidelight, sit tight, skintight, skylight, skywrite, slant height, smectite, snakebite, snow-white, sound bite, spaceflight, spotlight, stage fright, starlight, sternite, sticktight, stoplight, streetlight, stylite, sulfite, sunlight, Sunnite, taillight, termite, thermite, tonight, torchlight, trothplight, Twelfth Night, twilight, twi-night, typewrite, unite, unsight, upright, uptight, wainwright, watch night, wax light, Web site, weeknight, wheelwright, white flight, white knight, x-height, zinc white
2alight
adjective
: full of light : lighted up
: on fire
Full Definition of ALIGHT
1
chiefly British : being on fire
2
: lighted up
See alight defined for English-language learners
First Known Use of ALIGHT
15th century
ALIGHTMENT Defined for Kids
1alight
verb \ə-ˈlīt\
alight·edalight·ing
Definition of ALIGHT for Kids
1
: to get down : dismount <The riders alighted from their horses.>
2
: to come down from the air and settle <Butterflies alighted on the flowers.>
2alight
adjective
Definition of ALIGHT for Kids
: full of light : lighted up <The sky was alight with stars.> <His face was alight with excitement.>
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