lighthouse

/ˈlaɪthaʊs/

Etymology

From light + house.

lighthouse means A tower or other structure exhibiting a light or lights to warn or guide sailors. Lexicurio rates it Distinctive — a strength score of 65 out of 100.

Why this word is great

LIGHTHOUSE — [Noun] A tower or other structure exhibiting a light or lights to warn or guide sailors at sea. From the English words light ("visible illumination") + house ("building"). Unlike a "beacon," which can be any transient signal, or a "watchtower," which exists for surveillance, a lighthouse is a dedicated, permanent sentinel whose sole purpose is to burn for those who are lost. It is the rhythmic stab of light through salt-rimed glass, the solid thump of a wave against its granite skirts, and the stark, white column standing sentinel on a barren rock—a fixed point of human constancy in the shifting, forgetful dark, a monument to the fact that one can be both a warning and a destination.

noun

A tower or other structure exhibiting a light or lights to warn or guide sailors.“In the history of lighthouses, English civil engineer John Smeaton made a significant contribution to the design of them.”