Where does “lightbulb” come from?
Lightbulb combines English light, from Old English lēoht, from Proto-Indo-European lewktom meaning "bright," with bulb, from Latin bulbus, from Ancient Greek βολβός meaning "onion."
lightbulb (English): Alternative spelling of light bulb; An uninvited...
Definitions
- Alternative spelling of light bulb; An uninvited...
Ancestry of “lightbulb”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | light bulb | An evacuated glass bulb containing a metal... |
| 2 | English | Light | A place name |
| 3 | Middle English | light | The radiation which allows for vision by... |
| 4 | Old English | lēoht | luminous, bright, light, clear, resplendent,... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | leuht | light, bright; light |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | leuhtą | light |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lewktom | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |