Meanings
plural firelights
- countableuncountableThe light of a fire, such as from a campfire or fireplace.
He sat on by the cheerful firelight thrown from a bundle of green ash-sticks laid across the dogs; the sticks snapped pleasantly, and hissed out bubbles of sap from their ends.
1891, Thomas Hardy, chapter XXXI, in Tess of the d'Urbervilles2 more examples
He glanced continually at the diamond-panes of the casement, gleaming dimly in the firelight, and cocked his ear toward the door, as if half expecting to hear the pad of furtive feet in the corridor without.
1936, Robert E. Howard, chapter 8, in The Hour of the DragonDane was startled out of the contemplation of his misery to see the medic on his knees before their row of canteens, the vial of water purifier held to the firelight for a closer inspection.
1959, Andre Norton, chapter IV, in Voodoo Planet
Origin
- Old Englishfȳrlēoht
- Middle Englishfire liȝt
- Englishfirelight
From Middle English fire liȝt, fyre lyghte, from Old English fȳrlēoht, equivalent to fire + light.
More words from Middle English, Old English
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
firelight. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/firelight
“firelight.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/firelight. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “firelight,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/firelight.
Source: firelight on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.