Definition
Outdoor lights mounted on poles along residential streets that automatically illuminate at dusk to provide safety and visibility after dark. In mid-20th century American childhood culture, they served as the traditional signal for children to return home.
Example Usage
When the street lights came on, we knew we had to head back inside for dinner.
Origin
Compound of 'street' (public road) and 'lights' (illumination sources); widespread in suburban America from the 1950s onward.
Fun Fact
The street light turning on was so iconic in American childhood that it became a cultural shorthand for the end of outdoor playtime, referenced in countless memoirs and films about growing up in the mid-20th century.
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