red-light

1 of 2

adjective

variants or less commonly red light
: relating to or being an area with many brothels or sex workers
Just inside the entrance to "Picasso Érotique," the exhibition's designer has recreated an imagined bordello bedroom as one might have existed in the red-light district of Barcelona in the era of Picasso's youth.Arthur C. Danto
In the beginning, entertainment ran more along the lines of saloons, card games and red light activities.Jennifer Houghton

red light

2 of 2

noun

: a warning signal
especially : a red traffic signal

Examples of red-light in a Sentence

Noun the reporter took her glower as a red light and stopped asking questions
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.
Adjective
According to federal prosecutors, O’Sullivan conspired with Doherty and Maani in 2017 to get a job for the son of an Oak Lawn trustee in a bid to get new red-light cameras installed there. Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 23 July 2025 According to Smalls, red-light therapy devices can cost anywhere from $30 to $500, but the cheap stuff might not be legit or useful. Jessica Hartshorn, Flow Space, 18 July 2025
Noun
Derrick John Thompson was given consecutive sentences totaling nearly 59 years in prison Thursday for running a red light at more than 100 mph in south Minneapolis and crashing into a sedan, killing five young women. Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 25 July 2025 Irvine police investigators determined that a Honda Civic turned right on a red light onto Culver Drive, forcing a Toyota Corolla already in the intersection to swerve. Sydney Barragan, Oc Register, 4 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for red-light

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1894, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of red-light was in 1849

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Red-light.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red-light. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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!