light ballast
- noun
- /laɪt ˈbælɑst/
- Specialized
:
balasto de luz
- The electrician replaced the faulty light ballast to stop the fluorescent light from flickering.
Examples
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Some older offices still use magnetic light ballasts instead of newer electronic ones.
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Many light ballasts are designed for energy efficiency.
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A malfunctioning light ballast can cause humming noises in the ceiling fixtures.
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The light ballast failed to start the lamp.
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The electrician replaced the faulty light ballast to stop the fluorescent light from flickering.
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Some older offices still use magnetic light ballasts instead of newer electronic ones.
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A malfunctioning light ballast can cause humming noises in the ceiling fixtures.
Synonyms
3
8.2
A device that controls electric flow to lights, especially fluorescent tubes
An electrical part that keeps the flow of electricity steady when temperature changes
Surface Forms
Morphology
The primary semantic content is carried by 'ballast' (an electrical component for lighting), so a learner who knows that word would largely recognize the MWE refers to a lamp-regulating device. However the adjective 'light' as given ('having little weight') does not clearly contribute to the technical sense and is potentially ambiguous with 'light' = illumination, so the relation is only partially predictable.
Etymology
Light ballast takes its name from the old word ballast, a heavy weight that keeps a ship steady. Think of the electrical ballast as a 'weight' for the lamp that helps it start and keeps the electric flow steady, so the name now means the device that 'controls' or 'stabilizes' a fluorescent light.