tea light

noun

variants or less commonly tealight or tea light candle or tealight candle
plural tea lights also tealights or tea light candles or tealight candles
: a small cylindrical candle that is usually less than 1 inch in height and that is usually set in a holder (as of metal or plastic)
Tiny tea lights float on water in the tub in the darkened bathroom.Jura Koncius
We like this ceramic fondue pot that uses a simple tea light candle to keep the cheese melty and delicious.Holly Hanchey
also : a battery-operated artificial candle of similar size and shape
You could create a whole miniature village of houses, each one with a battery-powered tealight inside. Emily Dawe
sometimes hyphenated before another noun
… clever tea-light holders that feature a slot to accommodate a match. Rob Walker

Examples of tea light in a Sentence

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.
Her tiered altar was decorated with flowers, tea light candles and calaveras, or sugar skulls. Megan Ulu-Lani Boyanton, The Denver Post, 16 Nov. 2024 There’s a lake and a yard with a fire pit, a picnic table, and strung tea lights. Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 3 Nov. 2024 The set includes three standing turkeys and three that sit, and all six hold a real or LED tea light candle. Kaitlin Gates, Southern Living, 1 Nov. 2024 Notes: Fresh, Floral, Woody Apotheke Earl Grey Bitters Candle $44 Apotheke Take the idea of a tea light to a whole new level with this Earl Grey scented three-wick candle that combines the smell of black tea leaves with bergamot, lemon zest, and peony. Megan Wahn, Architectural Digest, 18 Oct. 2024 Take the idea of a tea light to a whole new level with this Earl Grey scented three-wick candle that combines the smell of black tea leaves with bergamot, lemon zest, and peony. Megan Wahn, Architectural Digest, 18 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

so called from the use of such candles to keep a pot of tea hot

First Known Use

1978, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tea light was in 1978

Dictionary Entries Near tea light

Cite this Entry

“Tea light.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tea%20light. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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