lamp

The term lamp refers to a light source that is not of natural origin, i.e. artificial. It was derived in the 13th century from the French word lamp, which in turn comes from the Greek lampás or lampádos, meaning torch or lamp.

In normal usage, it is used as a synonym for light and means e.g. ceiling lamp, flashlight, etc. In technical jargon, however, the term lamp only describes the light source in the respective device, such as an incandescent lamp.

In the periods before industrialization, vessels filled with vegetable or animal oil or fat and burned with a wick served as lamps. Torches performed the same function.