Definition

The measure of the brightness of a light source, specifically how much light it emits in a particular direction.

Example

The new LED bulb has a higher candlepower than the old incandescent bulb, making it much brighter.

Conversation

Have you ever thought about how candlepower affects lighting design?

Not really, but I guess it must play a big role in how bright a space feels.

Yeah, it's interesting because different lights have different candlepower ratings.

That makes sense! I should pay more attention to that when I choose bulbs.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Candlepower is formed from "candle" (from Old English *candel*, meaning a light source made of wax) and "power" (from Latin *potentia*, meaning ability or strength). The term refers to the strength of light produced by a candle.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'candle' as a source of light and 'power' as its strength — candlepower measures how strong that light is.

Visually Confused Words