English Explanatory Dictionary

lightbulb

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. Alternative spelling of light bulb.
noun
  1. An uninvited third person joining a couple's date who prevents or hinders romantic interactions.

Pronunciation

/ˈlaɪtˌbʌlb/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-lightbulb.wav

Word forms

lightbulb lightbulbs

Etymology

Calque from Cantonese 電燈泡／电灯泡 (din6 dang1 paau1), as though the third person is a light bulb in the background.

Synonyms

gooseberry third wheel

Derived words

lightbulb joke
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
Back to search All on L Russian dictionary Dahl dictionary