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Glite Dictionary
light pen

light pen

1 5.6
A handheld tool that you use on a computer screen to point or draw
  • noun
  • /laɪt pɛn/
  • Archaic
translation icon : lápiz óptico
  • Screens are best served with a mouse, trackball, touchpad (least), or light pen... (The light pen is not a great solution for accuracy, but for PoS, it is both fast and good.)

Examples

  • The artist skillfully used a light pen to create stunning illustrations directly on the computer screen.

  • Other devices, such as the touch screen, touch pad, light pen, and digitizing tablet, appear to be suited to specific tasks.

    Academic text (1992)

  • Capuchin did his calculations with a light pen on what looked like a pane of glass, causing equations to appear in glowing green.

    Fiction book (1994)

  • Screens are best served with a mouse, trackball, touchpad (least), or light pen... (The light pen is not a great solution for accuracy, but for PoS, it is both fast and good.)

    Blog text (4)

  • During the presentation, the speaker demonstrated the features of the light pen by drawing on the display.

  • With a light pen in hand, she easily highlighted key points on her digital notes during the meeting.

Synonyms

electronic stylus
vslight pen
4.4

A small pen-like tool used to touch or write on a screen

detects light emitted from the display to select or draw directly on screen
pen mouse
vslight pen
5.7

A small wireless tool shaped like a pen that moves the computer pointer for drawing and precise work

uses direct light sensing on the screen rather than moving a remote pointer

Surface Forms

light pen singular
light pens plural

Morphology

light + pen

The meaning 'a pen that uses or detects light to operate a display' is directly and compositionally derived from combining 'light' (the property/medium) with 'pen' (a hand-held writing/selecting instrument). This follows common English noun–noun compounding patterns (modifier + head) and similar transparent formations exist in other languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

Light pen is named for its two parts: light because it senses the screen's tiny bright spot, and pen because you hold and point it like a pen. Because it senses the screen's light where you point, it lets you 'select' items or 'draw' directly on the display.