searchlight
search·light/ˈsɜːtʃˌlaɪt/noun, verb
searchlight is spelled S-E-A-R-C-H-L-I-G-H-T: 11 letters and 2 syllables (search·light). It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 40,267th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, searchlight means “A light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction, generally for military use” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of searchlight is searchlights.
How many letters and syllables are in searchlight?
| Letters | 11: S-E-A-R-C-H-L-I-G-H-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: search·light |
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 40,267th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is searchlight?
Searchlight appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 40,267th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce searchlight?
- UK /ˈsɜːtʃˌlaɪt/
Searchlight has 2 syllables, split search·light in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vealhurl-searchlight.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with searchlight
Also written: search-light (one word or two).
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of searchlight
- searchlights plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- searchlighting participle, present
- searchlighted participle, past
- searchlit participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does searchlight mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A light source that projects a bright beam of light in any direction, generally for military use.
- 2
The light from the above source.
verb
- 1
To scan or sweep across like a searchlight.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Searchlight in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | projecteur , faisceau |
| German | Suchscheinwerfer |
| Portuguese | holofote |
| Spanish | proyector de búsqueda |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does searchlight come from?
From search + light. Compare West Frisian sykljocht (“searchlight”), Dutch zoeklicht (“searchlight”), Danish søgelys (“searchlight”), Swedish sökarljus (“searchlight”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).