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indirect lighting

indirect lighting

1 4.4
Light from a hidden source that reflects off ceilings and walls to make a soft, even glow
  • noun
  • /ˌɪn.dɪˈrɛkt ˈlaɪ.tɪŋ/
translation icon : iluminación indirecta
  • The niches or checkerboard facade, the pillars, and the indirect lighting are features closely related to the architecture of the Dogon's founding house, sanctuary, and ordinary dwelling.
  • soft indirect lighting
  • ceiling with indirect lighting

So they like a bright indirect light, so kind of bright shade.

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Examples

  • The alcove had soft white indirect lighting, with the light fixture mounted underneath the overhanging cupboard.

    Academic text (1997)
  • The ceilings were high, with recessed, indirect lighting that had to have been designed by a specialist in the craft.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • Needs bright, indirect light, which I always thought meant, OK, I'll take you outside.

  • Best results seem to be bright indirect lighting, but no flash, especially on proofs.

    Blog text (2)
  • They were a long time finding the switches for the indirect lighting.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Indirect lighting that reduces screen glare is important throughout the area, not just in labs.

    Academic text (2014)
  • The alcove had soft white indirect lighting, with the light fixture mounted underneath the overhanging cupboard.

  • Built to house a grand collection of American art, the Corcoran, with its wide hallways and indirect lighting, provides visitors with a serene experience.

  • Researchers found that customers in a fast-food restaurant who ate in a room with indirect lighting, music, tablecloths, and candles spent more time eating.

Synonyms

uplighting
vsindirect lighting
5.0

Light that shines upward to make walls or buildings look attractive

hides the source so light reflects softly from surfaces

How Diffused

indirect lighting
1 4.4
backlighting
  • Specialized
3 5.6
spotlight
49 2.9

Surface Forms

Morphology

indirect + lighting

The meaning is directly compositional: 'indirect' (not direct / via reflection or hidden source) combined with 'lighting' (arrangement or use of light) yields lighting that is not direct but reflected or diffused. This is a transparent, cross-linguistically common descriptive combination, so a B1 learner who knows both words should be able to infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Indirect lighting comes from the idea that the lighting is indirect, meaning the light is hidden and bounces off a ceiling or wall before it reaches the room. That soft, bounced light avoids 'harsh glare', so indirect lighting means light that brightens a space by reflection rather than shining straight at you.