Light
In Appalachian and Southern speech, "light" or "lit" means to land or settle gently on something - especially birds, bugs, butterflies, and waspers.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
You'll have to be out in the country to hear it, but it's common to say a bug 'lit' on you or 'lights.' I've heard this one all my life, but it's less common nowadays. Hillbilly Dude Says...
You'll have to be out in the country to hear it, but it's common to say a bug 'lit' on you or 'lights.' I've heard this one all my life, but it's less common nowadays. Pronunciation
[LITE]
/laɪt/ [LIT]
/lɪt/
/laɪt/ [LIT]
/lɪt/
Meaning & Usage
- To land or settle gently (verb)
Mae:
That butterfly just lit on my arm.
That butterfly just lit on my arm.
Earl:
Hold still - don’t scare it off.
Hold still - don’t scare it off.
Ruby:
When that wasper lights, put a jar on ’eem.
When that wasper lights, put a jar on ’eem.variations: lit, lights
★ If someone says a bug "lit" on them, they don’t mean it glowed - it landed. The word survives strongest in the mountains, where older English forms hung on. ★
Origin and Etymology
From Old English līhtan ("to descend, alight"). The Scots and Ulster forms carried into the Southern Midland region in the 1700s, where "light"/"lit" stayed common long after other varieties of English switched to "land."
Usage Notes
Still widely heard in Appalachia and rural Southern areas. Most often used for insects, birds, or anything that touches down gently. Outside the region, it may sound old-fashioned or poetic.
Kin Topics
Related Pages
How to Cite This Page
- APA (7th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, November 19). Light. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/light
- MLA (9th edition)"The Hillbilly Dude." "Light." HillbillySlang.com, 19 Nov. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/light.
- Chicago (17th edition)The Hillbilly Dude. "Light." HillbillySlang.com. November 19, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/definitions/light.
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Created by The Hillbilly Dude, this site is a growing field guide to culture, speech, memory, and meaning - rooted in Appalachia but reaching across the world. Every slang word, saying, accent and story is gathered from first-hand experience and trusted sources. The goal: preserve authentic voices and share them with writers, learners, and culture lovers everywhere - with a little humor thrown in here and there. Read more...