lightest

1. 1
   adjective

   Superlative of light.

   Aluminum is among the lightest metals used in construction.

   She chose the lightest shade of blue for the nursery walls.

   Note

   One superlative serves two different adjectives: light meaning weighing little and light meaning pale or bright. The noun usually settles which is meant. The lightest metal is the least heavy, and the lightest shade is the palest. With something like a coat or a fabric, either reading is possible, so the context has to do the work. The same spelling also belongs to the archaic verb form used with thou.

2. 2
   verbarchaic

   Second-person singular simple present indicative of light.

   Note

   Here the -est is a verb ending, not a degree of comparison. It belongs with thou (thou lightest the fire), where modern English says you light. It works with every verb meaning of light: kindling, illuminating, guiding someone with a lamp. That range makes it useful for imitating older prose or verse. Keep it with thou alone, because pairing it with you mixes two stages of the language.

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