Meaning & use
light pole
Last updated
UK/ˈlaɪt pəʊl/
US/ˈlaɪt poʊl/
Meaning
nouncountable
A tall post that supports a light, especially outdoors.
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a light pole' or 'two light poles'.
Patterns
- a light pole
- light poles
The street was lined with light poles every few meters.
He accidentally backed his car into a light pole.
The city is replacing old light poles with energy-efficient ones.
Word forms
| plural | light poles |
|---|
Common combinations
- a tall light pole
- A tall light pole stood at the corner of the field.
- a metal light pole
- The metal light pole was rusty after years of rain.
- hit a light pole
- The driver lost control and hit a light pole.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lamp post
- More common in British English; it usually refers to a post with a lamp on top, often in a street.
- streetlight
- This refers to the light itself, not the pole that holds it.
Word family
Commonly confused: light pole or lamp post?
light pole vs lamp post
In British English, 'lamp post' is the usual term for a light pole in a street.
Practice
The children were playing near the ______ on the corner.
Choose one answer.
'Light pole' is the correct compound noun for a post holding a light. The other options are misspellings or unrelated words.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “light pole”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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