light

{{11}}light (adj.¹) "not heavy," from O.E. leoht "not heavy, light in weight; easy, trifling; quick, agile," from P.Gmc. *lingkhtaz (Cf. O.N. lettr, Swed. lätt, O.Fris., M.Du. licht, Ger. leicht, Goth. leihts), from PIE root *legwh- "not heavy, having little weight" (Cf. L. levis "light," O.Ir. lu "small;" see LEVER (Cf. lever)). The notion in make light of (1520s) is of "unimportance." Alternative spelling lite, the darling of advertisers, is first recorded 1962. The adverb is O.E. leohte, from the adjective. Light-skirts "woman of easy virtue" is attested from 1590s. To make light of is from 1520s.

{{12}}light (adj.²) "not dark," O.E. leoht, common Germanic (Cf. O.S., O.H.G. lioht, O.Fris. liacht, Ger. licht "bright," from the source of O.E. leoht (see LIGHT (Cf. light) (n.)). Meaning "pale-hued" is from 1540s.

{{12}}light (n.) "brightness, radiant energy," O.E. leht, earlier leoht "light, daylight; luminous, beautiful," from W.Gmc. *leukhtam (Cf. O.S. lioht, O.Fris. liacht, M.Du. lucht, Du. licht, O.H.G. lioht, Ger. Licht, Goth. liuhaþ "light"), from PIE *leuk- "light, brightness" (Cf. Skt. rocate "shines;" Arm. lois "light," lusin "moon;" Gk. leukos "bright, shining, white;" L. lucere "to shine," lux "light," lucidus "clear;" O.C.S. luci "light;" Lith. laukas "pale;" Welsh llug "gleam, glimmer;" O.Ir. loche "lightning," luchair "brightness;" Hittite lukezi "is bright").

The -gh- was an Anglo-French scribal attempt to render the Germanic hard -h- sound, which has since disappeared from this word. The figurative spiritual sense was in Old English; the sense of "mental illumination" is first recorded mid-15c. Meaning "something used for igniting" is from 1680s. Meaning "a consideration which puts something in a certain view (e.g. in light of) is from 1680s. Something that's a joy and a delight has been the light of (someone's) eyes since Old English:

Ðu eart dohtor min, minra eagna leoht [Juliana].

To see the light "come into the world" is from 1680s; later in a Christian sense.

{{13}}light (v.¹) "touch down," from O.E. lihtan "to alight; alleviate, leave," from P.Gmc. *linkhtijan, lit. "to make light," from *lingkhtaz "not heavy" (see LIGHT (Cf. light) (adj.¹)). Apparently the ground sense is "to dismount a horse, etc., and thus relieve it of one's weight." To light out "leave hastily" is 1870, from a nautical meaning "move out, move heavy objects," of unknown origin but perhaps belonging to this word (Cf. LIGHTER (Cf. lighter) (1)).

{{14}}light (v.²) "to illuminate, fill with brightness," O.E. lyhtan, common Germanic (Cf. O.S. liohtian, O.H.G. liuhtan, Ger. leuchten, Goth. liuhtjan "to light"), from source of from LIGHT (Cf. light) (n.). Related: Lighted; LIGHTING (Cf. lighting).