# idiot light

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. Any warning light or indicator on the dashboard of a car, designed to alert the driver to problems, such as the parking brake being on or the oil being low.

## Etymology
From idiot + light, suggesting that even a stupid person with no mechanical knowledge can recognize a problem when thus indicated.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/idiot-light