headlight

headlight — noun

1. one of two bright lamps on a car's front that shine light onto the road so the d

1.nounB1
Definition

one of two bright lamps on a car's front that shine light onto the road so the driver can see in the dark

Example

Aoi turned on the car's headlights when she drove into the dark tunnel.

turn on + headlights (collocation)

Kabir noticed that one of his headlights was not working on the way home.

one of + headlights (partitive pattern)

Common collocations
  • turn on / switch on the headlights
  • turn off / switch off the headlights
  • dim / dip the headlights
  • bright / blinding headlights
  • headlights shine / illuminate the road
Synonyms
  • headlamp

    more technical term for an individual light unit; also used for wearable lights on helmets

  • light

    more general; can refer to any vehicle light including tail lights and indicators

  • beam

    refers to the light itself rather than the physical fixture

Antonyms
  • taillight

    the red light at the back of a vehicle, opposite function from the headlight

Grammar Patterns

headlight + verb (glow/illuminate)

turn + headlights (on/off)

Usage Note

Headlights almost always come as a pair, so the plural form 'headlights' is more common than the singular. In technical contexts the individual unit is called a 'headlamp', but most people say 'headlight' for one or both.

Common Mistakes

I need to buy a new headlight lamp for my car.
I need to buy a new headlight for my car.
'headlight' already refers to the whole lamp unit; adding 'lamp' is redundant.

Word family

  • headlamp
    nounB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to the front lights of a vehicle, but they differ in scope. 'Headlight' is the everyday word for the bright lamp or lamp pair at the front of a car or truck. 'Headlamp' is the more technical term used in repair manuals and automotive parts catalogues; it also describes a wearable light strapped to the forehead. 'Beam' focuses on the light itself rather than the fixture — drivers talk about 'high beam' for the brighter setting and 'low beam' for oncoming traffic. 'Light' is the broadest category: it covers every bulb on a vehicle (brake lights, indicators, interior lights), so using it for just the headlights requires context. For everyday speech, 'headlight' is your safest choice.

headlampheadlight ↗beam ↗light ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • turn on the headlights
  • switch off the headlights
  • dip the headlights
  • headlights on full beam
  • caught in the headlights

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

A compound of 'head' (referring to the front part of something, from Old English 'heafod') and 'light' (a source of illumination, from Old English 'leoht'). The word 'headlight' came into use in the late 1800s alongside the first automobiles, when vehicles needed lamps at the front for night driving.