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traffic light

Definition

A traffic light is a device that controls the flow of traffic at an intersection. It has three lights: red, yellow, and green.

The red light means stop. The yellow light means slow down and get ready to stop.** The green light means go.

Traffic lights are important for safety. They help to keep traffic moving smoothly and to prevent accidents.

How can the word be used?

The traffic light at the intersection turned red, so I stopped.

traffic light

Different forms of the word

Noun:

a signal at an intersection or other point on a road, consisting of three coloured lights (red, yellow, and green) that indicate when vehicles should stop, proceed with caution, or proceed normally.

Verb:

to control the flow of traffic with traffic lights.

Etymology

The word "traffic light" is a compound word, made up of the words "traffic" and "light".

The word "traffic" comes from the Latin word "trafficus", which means "trade, commerce".

The word "light" comes from the Old English word "leoht", which also means "light".

The first recorded use of the word "traffic light" in English was in 1868.

Question

Why are traffic lights important?