Definition

A small light that uses batteries and is shaped like a pen, used for illuminating dark areas.

Example

She used a penlight to read the map in the dark.

Conversation

I just bought a new penlight for my backpack.

Oh, that sounds handy! What made you choose that?

I needed something small and bright for late-night study sessions.

A penlight is perfect for that — easy to carry and useful!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Penlight → It is formed from "pen" (from Latin *penna*, meaning feather or quill) and "light" (from Old English *leoht*, meaning illumination). The word "penlight" refers to a small, portable light that resembles the shape of a pen, used for illumination.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'pen' as something that writes and 'light' as something that illuminates. A penlight is a small light that you can easily carry, just like a pen.

Visually Confused Words