night-light
UK[ˈnaɪt laɪt]US[ˈnaɪt laɪt]
n
A small, dim light kept on during the night, especially in a child's bedroom.
Morpheme Breakdown
night
light
night
time
light
illumination
Etymology
The compound 'night-light' is a transparent combination of two fundamental Germanic nouns, 'night' and 'light', each with deep Indo-European ancestry. The first element, 'night', descends from a root meaning darkness, while the second, 'light', originates from a root meaning brightness or to shine. Their combination follows a straightforward English compounding pattern, creating a term whose literal meaning, "a light for the night," perfectly captures its modern function as a source of gentle illumination during the dark hours, primarily for comfort or safety.
Analysis
Structure: night (time) + light (illumination)
- night: From Old English 'niht', Proto-Germanic 'nahts', Proto-Indo-European 'nókʷts'. Functions as a noun root denoting the period of darkness.
- light: From Old English 'lēoht', Proto-Germanic 'leuhtą', Proto-Indo-European 'lewk-'. Functions as a noun root denoting illumination or radiance.
Examples
The soft glow from the night-light helped the child feel safe in the dark room.
We always plug in a night-light in the hallway for safety.
She prefers a red night-light as it is less disruptive to sleep.