Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

lighthouse

/ˈlaɪthaʊs/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.55 in modern English

Syllables: light-house
IPA: /ˈlaɪthaʊs/

17

Scrabble Score

10

Letters

2

Syllables

9

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A tower or other structure exhibiting a light or lights to warn or guide sailors.

Example Sentences

"In the history of lighthouses, English civil engineer John Smeaton made a significant contribution to the design of them."
"Visitors to Maine, arriving with visions of lighthouses and lobsters, often bypass Portland on their way northeast to Acadia National Park or the many picturesque fishing villages of the state’s mid-coast. […] Don’t miss Portland Head Light, an iconic landmark and Maine’s oldest lighthouse, which sits on a rocky point some 5 miles south of Portland. The lighthouse dates to 1791 and was commissioned by George Washington."

Etymology

From light + house.

Inflected Forms

lighthouses (plural)

Derived Forms

lighthousekeeper lighthouselike lighthouseman

Phrases

helter-skelter lighthouse lighthouse coffeepot lighthouse keeper Lighthouse Point lighthouse tube screw-pile lighthouse

Frequently Paired Words

beacon light house light buoy lightboat lightship lightvessel

Synonyms

obeliscolychny phare beacon beacon light pharos

Rhymes With

whitehouse

Questions

How do you pronounce lighthouse?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈlaɪthaʊs/.
What does lighthouse mean?: A tower or other structure exhibiting a light or lights to warn or guide sailors.
Where does lighthouse come from?: From light + house.

How to pronounce lighthouse

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “lighthouse”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈlaɪthaʊs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “lighthouse”.
Repeat and practice — Say “lighthouse” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.