light trap

noun

1
: a device that allows movement of a sliding part or passage of a person (as into a darkroom) but excludes light
2
: a device for collecting or destroying insects that consists of a bright light in association with a trapping or killing medium

Examples of light trap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web But a microphone simply listens, a camera trap quietly watches for movement and snaps a picture, and a light trap silently attracts insects. WIRED, 17 Oct. 2023 For those who prioritize safety, a light trap like DynaTrap Flylight Indoor Insect Trap will be the best fit. Rachel Ahrnsen, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Oct. 2023 Sound recorder and automatic light trap for recording voices and night insects. WIRED, 17 Oct. 2023 While this team harvested DNA directly from insects caught in light traps, others may collect environmental DNA, or eDNA, that animals leave behind in soil, air, and water. WIRED, 17 Oct. 2023 To make the light traps, scientists shine a laser through a lens above a chamber containing neutral atoms. Katherine Wright, Scientific American, 28 Sep. 2023 This means scientists have to work at night, using light traps to attract the things. WIRED, 12 June 2023 Under the veil of night, ecologist Peter Houlihan inspects a light trap designed to attract nocturnal insects in Corkscrew Swamp. Steven Bedard, Discover Magazine, 26 Nov. 2019 Join our scientist hosts in the field for a macro photography workshop, setting light traps that allow us to capture up-close photos of some of the Amazon’s innumerable insect species. National Geographic, 10 Sep. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'light trap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of light trap was in 1882

Dictionary Entries Near light trap

Cite this Entry

“Light trap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/light%20trap. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

light trap

noun
: a device for collecting or destroying insects by attracting them to a light and trapping or killing them

More from Merriam-Webster on light trap

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!