Word of the Day: LIMELIGHT
Eminence or exposure
limelight (noun) - the center of public interest, attention, or observation; fame or notoriety [lahym-lahyt]
a limelight is a non-electric type of lighting once used for stage performances
BREAKDOWN: The word limelight has nothing to do with citrus fruits and everything to do with calcium oxide, more commonly known as quicklime. Quicklime is produced by heating limestone to high temperatures. In 1820, Scottish engineer Thomas Drummond created an incandescent stage lamp that used a hot gas flame on a block of lime to shine a bright white light on actors. The use of this type of theatrical illumination gave way to electrical lighting in the late 19th century, but the word remained in the limelight, so to speak, as a figure of speech.
“Be like the sun; it does not look for the spotlight; the limelight travels with it wherever it goes.” —Matshona Dhliwayo
[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily derived from classical roots.]