Lighting

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈlaɪtɪŋ/

Definitions

1. The act of supplying artificial light to illuminate a space ; the setup or quality of light used to create a particular mood or effect in a place or scene
2. The process or technique of adding light sources for visibility or aesthetic purposes ; the way light is positioned and controlled to highlight features or create atmosphere
3. Supplying brightness through electrical or other means to enhance visibility ; the design and use of lighting to influence the visual appeal or functionality of an environment

Etymology: The word is a plain compound: the noun "light" with the suffix "-ing" added, and the suffix is what turns it from an action into a thing. English "-ing" forms nouns from verbs, so "lighting" began as the act of making light, the process of kindling or illuminating, before it came to name the arrangement of lamps themselves. The verb underneath is older and more tangled than the noun suggests. It descends from Old English "lēohtan" and "līehtan", which meant to illuminate, and it is related to the adjective "light" in the sense of not heavy. Those two senses look unrelated today, but both trace back to an ancient root meaning bright, as in the Old English word for light in weight and the word for light in the sky sharing a single source.

Synonyms: illumination, brightness, light, radiance, luminance

Antonyms: darkness, gloom, shadow, dimness, obscurity