SPOTLIGHT

spotlight, spot

(noun) a lamp that produces a strong beam of light to illuminate a restricted area; used to focus attention of a stage performer

limelight, spotlight, glare, public eye

(noun) a focus of public attention; “he enjoyed being in the limelight”; “when Congress investigates it brings the full glare of publicity to the agency”

spotlight

(verb) illuminate with a spotlight, as in the theater

foreground, highlight, spotlight, play up

(verb) move into the foreground to make more visible or prominent; “The introduction highlighted the speaker’s distinguished career in linguistics”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

spotlight (plural spotlights)

A bright, directional light or lamp, especially one used to illuminate the focus or center of attention on a stage.

(by extension) The circle of light shed by a spotlight.

(figurative, by extension) The center of attention; the highlight or most important part.

Hypernyms

• light

Verb

spotlight (third-person singular simple present spotlights, present participle spotlighting, simple past and past participle spotlit or spotlighted)

(transitive) To illuminate with a spotlight.

(transitive, figurative) To draw attention to.

Hypernyms

• light

Anagrams

• lightpost, stop light, stoplight, toplights

Source: Wiktionary

Spot"light`, n.

Definition: The projected spot or circle of light used to illuminate brilliantly a single person or object or group on the stage; leaving the rest of the stage more or less unilluminated; hence, conspicuous public notice. [Cant or Colloq.]

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition