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porch light

porch light

11 2.1
A light placed near a house entrance to help people see the door at night
  • noun
  • /pɔrtʃ laɪt/
translation icon : luz del porche
  • I flipped on the porch light, threw open the door, and saw him standing there.
  • turn on the porch light
  • leave the porch light
  • flick on the porch light

I got up, I walked outside and there was like a porch light and I looked at my arm and it was just fucking.

Examples

  • My mother had left the porch light on for me.

    Fiction book (2000)
  • His Jeep was gone, and his porch light was on.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • I remember we had the porch light on.

  • You just turn your porch light on.

  • Well, as you know, we always leave the porch light on for you.

  • I meant to leave the porch light on for you.

  • It's dark, but as they near the door, a porch light comes on.

    Fiction book (1993)
  • Go to the back door and turn on the porch light again.

    Fiction book (1996)
  • Annie stood under the porch light and watched them walk away.

    Fiction book (1995)
  • We always leave the porch light on to welcome guests at night.

Synonyms

light fixture
vsporch light
  • US
12 3.7

A device on a ceiling or wall that holds and powers a light bulb

is installed at the entrance and also provides security lighting
lighting fixture
vsporch light
  • Specialized
4 3.4

A device fixed to a ceiling or wall that holds a lamp to give light

is placed at the entrance for illumination and security

How Bright

floodlight
9 3.4
porch light
11 2.1
lantern
113 1.0
sconce
6 8.4

Surface Forms

porch light singular
porch lights plural

Morphology

porch + light

The meaning 'a light fixture on or near a porch' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'porch' (a covered area attached to a building) with 'light' (a lamp or bulb). This noun-noun compound follows a common location+object pattern found across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand it.

Etymology

Porch light comes from the simple picture of a porch, the small covered entrance to a house, with a light above it to guide visitors to the door. That's why it means 'a light at the house entrance'.