spotlight
spot·light/ˈspɑtˌlaɪt/noun, verb
spotlight is spelled S-P-O-T-L-I-G-H-T: 9 letters and 2 syllables (spot·light). It appears 7.9 times per million words in written English, the 8,266th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, spotlight means “A bright, directional light or lamp, especially one used to illuminate the focus or center of attention on a stage” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of spotlight is spotlights.
How many letters and syllables are in spotlight?
| Letters | 9: S-P-O-T-L-I-G-H-T |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: spot·light |
| In writing | 7.9 times per million words; the 8,266th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
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); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is spotlight?
Spotlight appears 7.9 times per million words in written English, the 8,266th 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 spotlight?
- UK /ˈspɒtˌlaɪt/
- US /ˈspɑtˌlaɪt/
- Australia /ˈspɔtˌlɑɪt/
Spotlight has 2 syllables, split spot·light in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Vininn126-spotlight.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with spotlight?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as spotlight (/ɑtlaɪt/).
Spelled with the same letters in another order: stoplight.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of spotlight
- spotlights plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- spotlighting participle, present
- spotlighted participle, past
- spotlit participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does spotlight mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A bright, directional light or lamp, especially one used to illuminate the focus or center of attention on a stage.
- 2
The circle of light shed by a spotlight.
- 3
The center of attention; the highlight or most important part.
Some people enjoy the spotlight.
- 4
A showcase.
verb
- 1
To illuminate with a spotlight.
We spotlight the star, but the supporting cast has all the great lines in this scene.
- 2
To draw attention to.
The news series served to spotlight corruption.
- 3
Synonym of jacklight (“to use a spotlight in hunting animals”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Spotlight in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | projecteur |
| German | Scheinwerfer , Scheinwerferlicht, Schlaglicht , Rampenlicht |
| Portuguese | refletor, holofote , holofotes, centro das atenções |
| Spanish | foco, proyector , rodal alumbrado , foco de atención, centro atencional , enfocar |
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 spotlight come from?
From spot + light.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).