Bengal light
- noun
- /ˈbɛŋɡəl laɪt/
- Archaic
:
luz bengalí
- During the festival, children enjoyed watching the blue glow of a Bengal light in the night sky.
Examples
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The sailors waved a Bengal light to attract attention during the rescue.
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For the grand finale, the organizers lit a series of Bengal lights along the riverbank.
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The Bengal light illuminated the night sky beautifully.
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Have you ever seen a Bengal light at a festival?
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During the festival, children enjoyed watching the blue glow of a Bengal light in the night sky.
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For the grand finale, the organizers lit a series of Bengal lights along the riverbank.
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The sailors waved a Bengal light to attract attention during the rescue.
Synonyms
1
3.2
A light or fire used to send a message over a distance
A tower with a light that warns ships about rocks and shallow water
How Bright
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase is compositionally built from 'Bengal' + 'light', so a B1 learner would infer it denotes a kind of light associated with Bengal (i.e., a particular type or style of light). However, the specific conventional meaning — a type of firework producing a steady colored flame used as a signal/display — is a cultural/lexical detail not predictable from the parts alone. Therefore the expression offers a partial clue but requires prior exposure to reach the full meaning.
Etymology
Bengal light may come from old bright fireworks first used in the Bengal area of India that gave a steady, colored glow. That's why Bengal and light together describe a steady, colorful firework used as a 'signal' or for a 'display'.