Highlighter
/ˈhaɪˌlaɪ.tər/noun
A pen or marker containing translucent fluorescent ink used to emphasize text.
Did you know?The “light” in highlighter ultimately descends from the ancient Indo-European root *leuk-, meaning “bright” or “to shine,” also underlying words such as lunar and lucid.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*leuk-
“To shine or be bright”
Proto-Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*leuhtą
“Light or brightness”
Old English
Old English
lēoht
“Light; daylight or illumination”
Middle English
Middle English
light
“Brightness or illumination; the modern form developed from this word”
20th Century
English
highlighter
“A marker designed to make selected writing visually prominent”