a. gen. Light produced by electrical action. b. spec. The same as applied to purposes of illumination. It is ordinarily produced either by the incandescence of a filament of metal or carbon, or by the electric arc formed by the passing of electricity between two carbon points. Also attrib., as in electric-light apparatus.
1843. Mech. Mag., XXXIX. 352. Electric light—Substitute for Gas [heading of paragraph].
1849. Walker, in Circ. Sc. (c. 1865), I. 138/2. We … saw the electric light outshining all the other … lights.
1871. Tyndall, Fragm. Sc. (ed. 6), II. xvi. 430. The electric light was afterwards established at Cape Grisnez.
fig. 1870. Max Müller, Sc. Relig. (1873), 3. The electric light of Comparative Philology.
Hence electric-lighted ppl. a., lighted by electricity; electric lighting vbl. sb., illumination by the electric light; also attrib.
1881. Daily News, 3 Sept., 2/4. Beautiful electric-lighted clock.
1887. Whitaker’s Almanack, 141. advt., Electric-lighting engineers.
