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Glite Dictionary
barndoor

barndoor

1 8.9
A flap on a lamp that blocks or directs light
  • noun
  • /ˈbɑrnˌdɔr/
  • Specialized
: puerta de granero
  • The photographer adjusted the barndoor to direct the light onto the model.
  • barndoor mounts

Examples

  • The photographer adjusted the barndoor to focus the light.

  • Can you pass me the barndoor for the spotlight?

  • Stage technicians often use a barndoor to block unwanted spill from the spotlight.

  • The photographer adjusted the barndoor to focus the light only on the subject.

  • We need to attach a barndoor to this lamp to prevent glare in the background.

  • To achieve the perfect lighting for the stage, the technician positioned the barndoor carefully.

  • Using a barndoor on the lamp helped control the spread of light during the photo shoot.

Compounds

barndoor skate
  • Specialized
8.3

A large flat fish like a ray that lives in the western Atlantic and is often caught

Surface Forms

barndoor singular
barndoors plural

Morphology

barndoor = barn + door (semi-transparent) = barn + door

The components 'barn' + 'door' are obvious, but the compound name is used metaphorically for a lamp flap—a specialized, non-literal extension.

Etymology

The word barndoor comes from the simple words barn and door because the metal flaps on a lamp look like a barn's big door and act like a door to 'block' or 'let through' the light. That's why a barndoor is an adjustable flap used to control where the light goes.