leading light
3
5.5
- noun
:
figura destacada
- It is true that he has been a leading light in the All Blacks defense, so this is not a negative on his game.
- one of the leading lights
- leading lights of the conservative
- other leading lights
Examples
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But amid all the pessimism, one voice rings out its faith in the future: Thorn, the world's leading light in building a new tomorrow.
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So when Paulson finished at Harvard that year, he joined one of the leading lights in the field, the Boston Consulting Group.
Blog text (6) -
Leading light of the local drama society.
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Amongst the leading lights of Darwin.
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Since her death, she's at last been accepted as one of the leading lights of modern architecture.
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And Boehner is not alone on this question among the GOP's leading lights.
Academic text (2012) -
Hil 'n' Bill met at Yale Law School, where Hillary became a leading light in a class that was 90 percent male.
Academic text (2008) -
In January 1973, Bowie returned to Britain as Glam Rock's leading light, performing a brand new song on Top of the Pops.
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It was the behavior of one of the school's leading lights, a legal theorist of international renown.
Fiction book (1993) -
Chef Alfred Portale has been a leading light in the New York restaurant scene for decades now.
Synonyms
∞
1.0
A person who guides and directs a group, organization, or country
29
3.8
A person or company that has a lot of power in a field
14
7.6
A famous person who inspires or influences others in a field
11
3.7
A company or person most important in a business field
11
7.4
A leading person who represents a movement's ideas and goals
5
4.1
A person who is well known and admired
4
4.2
A person who leads and inspires others in a group by example
1
8.6
A person who has a lot of influence or authority in a field
How Influential
Surface Forms
Morphology
The adjective 'leading' (foremost) combined with 'light' used metaphorically (a source of guidance or insight) yields a predictable meaning of a prominent, guiding figure. The metaphor of light = guidance is common across languages and discourse, so a B1 learner who knows both words can reasonably infer 'leading light' means an important or influential person.
Etymology
The phrase leading light may come from the image of a bright light that is leading the way, like a lighthouse or a candle at the front of a group. That's why a leading light means 'an important, respected person' who guides others.