traffic light

noun

: a visual signal (such as a system of colored lights) for controlling traffic

Examples of traffic light in a Sentence

Take a left at the traffic light.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
With a population of approximately 800,000 people and only one main highway snaking through its mountains and valleys — the capital city, Thimphu, is the only one in the world without a traffic light — Bhutan remains relatively unexplored. Mark Lakin, Travel + Leisure, 7 Dec. 2024 Around this period, the prosperous island was dubbed Golden Rock. Accessible by a dirt road free of traffic lights, the resort of the same name is a gleaming, contemporary oasis. Alev Aktar, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2024 Two drivers traveled eastbound and stopped at the traffic light at 67th Avenue. Skylar Heisey, The Arizona Republic, 7 Oct. 2024 Meanwhile, Richard Cutshaw, a 70-year-old union representative stopped nearby at a traffic light, was found with one bullet in his head, also from one of the four police officers. Angie Dimichele, Sun Sentinel, 29 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for traffic light 

Word History

First Known Use

1912, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of traffic light was in 1912

Dictionary Entries Near traffic light

Cite this Entry

“Traffic light.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/traffic%20light. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

traffic light

noun
: a visual signal (as a system of green, yellow, and red lights) for controlling traffic

More from Merriam-Webster on traffic light

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!