Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • adjective Informal. Drunk or drugged. Often used with up.
  • noun Literature, especially as an academic subject.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To color; dye.
  • noun Color; dye; stain.
  • noun Little.
  • noun An abbreviation of liter.
  • Preterit and past participle of light.
  • An abbreviation of literal and literally; also of literature.
  • Preterit and past participle of light.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • a form of the imp. & p. p. of light.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Colour; blee; dye; stain.
  • verb transitive To colour; dye.
  • adjective obsolete Little.
  • noun obsolete Little.
  • verb Simple past tense and past participle of light.
  • verb US, dialectal To run, or light
  • adjective illuminated
  • adjective slang intoxicated or under the influence of drugs; stoned
  • adjective slang Sexually aroused (usually a female), especially visibly sexually aroused (e.g., labial swelling is present)
  • noun Abbreviated form of literature.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adjective set afire or burning
  • adjective provided with artificial light
  • noun the humanistic study of a body of literature

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English lit, from Old Norse litr ("colour, dye, complexion, face, countenance"), from Proto-Germanic *wlitiz, *wlitaz (“sight, face”), from Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“to see”). Cognate with Icelandic litur ("colour"), Old English wlite ("brightness, appearance, form, aspect, look, countenance, beauty, splendor, adornment"), Old English wlītan ("to gaze, look, observe").

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English litten, liten, from Old Norse lita ("to colour"), from litr ("colour"). See above.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English lit, lut, from Old English lȳt ("little, few"), from Proto-Germanic *lūtilaz (“little, small”), from Proto-Indo-European *leud- (“to cower, hunch over”). Cognate with Old Saxon lut ("little"), Middle High German lützen ("to make small or low, decrease"). More at little.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

From Middle English lihte, from Old English līhtte, first and third person singular preterit of līhtan ("to light"). More at light.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Short for literature.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word lit.

Examples

  • This state of quiescence, this objectless, dreamless torpor, this transition _du lit a la table, de la table au lit_, -- what more dreary and monotonous existence can you devise?

    The Pilgrims of the Rhine Edward Bulwer Lytton Lytton 1838

  • He sat staring at Harry from the darkness, his expression lit by the glow of the approaching fire and filled with suspicion.

    The Edge of Madness Michael Dobbs 2008

  • And she tried to listen to the woman but could not concentrate because the name lit up her brain, one of those deep sheer flashes that take forty years to happen.

    Underworld Don Delillo 2008

  • And she tried to listen to the woman but could not concentrate because the name lit up her brain, one of those deep sheer flashes that take forty years to happen.

    Underworld Don Delillo 2008

  • And she tried to listen to the woman but could not concentrate because the name lit up her brain, one of those deep sheer flashes that take forty years to happen.

    Underworld Don Delillo 2008

  • His expression lit with the fires of youthful enthusiasm.

    Amaryllis Jayne Castle 1996

  • His expression lit with the fires of youthful enthusiasm.

    Amaryllis Jayne Castle 1996

  • His expression lit with the fires of youthful enthusiasm.

    Amaryllis Jayne Castle 1996

  • I’ve always thought the phrase lit up with joy was stupid, but it’s like someone shoved a burning thousand-watt lightbulb down her throat.

    HIGH BEFORE HOMEROOM MAYA SLOAN 2010

  • I’ve always thought the phrase lit up with joy was stupid, but it’s like someone shoved a burning thousand-watt lightbulb down her throat.

    HIGH BEFORE HOMEROOM MAYA SLOAN 2010

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.

  • "'Homer must have been lit to pick up a hitchhiker that late,' she told Norris."

    - 'The Dark Half', Stephen King.

    December 31, 2007

  • French bed.

    January 9, 2008

  • Little Rock National Airport.

    October 24, 2008

  • spotted as new slang on the Late Show with SC

    "this interview is lit"

    raving

    September 14, 2016