name · noun · verb · 5 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
UK:/ˈsɜːtʃˌlaɪt/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:S ER1 CH L AY2 T
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
name
Meaning 1
A census-designated place in Clark County, Nevada, United States.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction, generally for military use.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
The light from the above source.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
verb
Meaning 4
To scan or sweep across like a searchlight.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
a light source with reflectors that projects a beam of light in a particular direction
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: light, light source
History
Etymology
From search + light. Compare West Frisian sykljocht (“searchlight”), Dutch zoeklicht (“searchlight”), Danish søgelys (“searchlight”), Swedish sökarljus (“searchlight”).
Across languages
Translations
33 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Afrikaans:
soeklig
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Bulgarian:
прожектор
(prožektor)
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Chinese Mandarin:
探照燈 /探照灯
(tànzhàodēng)
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Dutch:
zoeklicht
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Finnish:
valonheitin
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Finnish:
hakuvalo
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
French:
projecteur
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
German:
Suchscheinwerfer
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Hungarian:
fényszóró
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Hungarian:
keresőlámpa
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Hungarian:
reflektor
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Italian:
proiettore da ricerca
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Norwegian Bokmål:
søkelys
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Norwegian Nynorsk:
søkelys
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Occitan:
projector
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Polish:
reflektor
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Portuguese:
holofote
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Russian:
проже́ктор
(prožéktor)
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Spanish:
proyector de búsqueda
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Swedish:
sökljus
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Swedish:
sökarljus
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Volapük:
litijedian
— a light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction
Chinese Mandarin:
探照光束
(tànzhào guāngshù)
— the light from the above source
Finnish:
valokeila
— the light from the above source
French:
faisceau
— the light from the above source
Hungarian:
fénysugár
— the light from the above source
Hungarian:
fénykéve
— the light from the above source
Norwegian Bokmål:
søkelys
— the light from the above source
Norwegian Nynorsk:
søkelys
— the light from the above source
Occitan:
fais
— the light from the above source
Polish:
reflektor
— the light from the above source
Swedish:
sökljus
— the light from the above source
Swedish:
sökarljus
— the light from the above source
