especially: a mechanical or electrical device used for lighting cigarettes, cigars, or pipes
Examples of lighter in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Wong says of his hefty torch, which replaced the meager cigarette and barbecue lighters of years past, before reaching into a solid brick oven to ignite handfuls of paper representing money into a blaze that sent ashes floating out.—Michael Laris, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2024 There were cocktail sets for the traveling drinker (or the drinking traveler), compendiums that included cigarette cases, lighters, clocks, and pill boxes, and, since 1930, exquisite writing instruments produced by the Japanese lacquer specialist Namiki.—Paul Croughton, Robb Report, 17 Feb. 2024 Three lighters are included in the collection, each with colorways that coordinate with the pens: Line 2, Maxjet and Slim 7.—Nancy Olson, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 Such labs use butane, a highly combustible gas commonly used in lighters and camp stoves, to extract a potent, waxy cannabis concentrate known as hash oil or honey oil from marijuana plants.—Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Feb. 2024 Ibrahim hoped to find his collection of Zippo lighters, a copper drum, an antique radio, a sword that had belonged to his grandfather and some gold jewelry that Pinar had received from her mother.—Safak Timur Emin Ozmen, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2024 Inside his car, officials found lighters and electronic devices that, according to court records, had audio and video recordings of Maynard talking about committing arson, and the sound of matches being struck.—Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 2 Feb. 2024 One of these is the equivalent to 300 traditonal lighters.—Claire Rutter, Rolling Stone, 5 Jan. 2024 According to the National Fire Protection Administration, Christmas trees account for hundreds of fires each year, many ignited by shorts in electrical lights or open flames from candles, lighters, or matches.—Alan Taylor, The Atlantic, 15 Dec. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lighter.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English, from Middle Dutch *lichter, from lichten to unload; akin to Old English lēoht light in weight
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