# lit

> English word · Verb · IPA /ˈlɪt/ · frequency rank #5,231

## Definitions
1. simple past and past participle of light (“illuminate; start a fire; etc”)
2. simple past and past participle of light (“alight: land, come down on”)

## Etymology
Alteration of earlier light, from Middle English lighte, from Old English līhtte, first and third person singular preterite of līhtan (“to light”), by analogy with bit. More at light; compare fit (“fought”).
This form was proscribed during the 18th and 19th centuries, with lighted being preferred, but is now the most common past form of light.

## Easily confused with
- **Lt** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lt)
- **lo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lo)
- **LP** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lp)
- **LN** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-ln)
- **Ls** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-ls)
- **lu** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lu)
- **LV** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lv)
- **LR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lr)
- **LM** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lm)
- **LJ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lj)
- **lx** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lx)
- **LZ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lz)
- **lot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lot)
- **low** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-low)
- **lol** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lol)
- **los** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-los)
- **log** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-log)
- **Lou** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-lou)
- **Liz** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-liz)
- **LLC** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/lit-vs-llc)

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