Phrase guide

light pen

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A pen-like device allowing a computer user to interact with the screen display.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computer-hardware, computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

(computer science) a pointer that when pointed at a computer display senses whether or not the spot is illuminated

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: electronic stylus

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: pointer

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

10 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: светлинна писалка (svetlinna pisalka) — a computer input device
  • Chinese Mandarin: 光筆 /光笔 (guāngbǐ) — a computer input device
  • Finnish: valokynä — a computer input device
  • French: crayon optique — a computer input device
  • German: Lichtgriffel — a computer input device
  • Greek: φωτογραφίδα (fotografída) — a computer input device
  • Hungarian: fényceruza — a computer input device
  • Japanese: ライトペン (raito pen) — a computer input device
  • Korean: 라이트 펜 (raiteu pen) — a computer input device
  • Russian: светово́е перо́ (svetovóje peró) — a computer input device