To alight means to step down from something or to land gently on a surface. When passengers alight from a train, they exit onto the platform. When a butterfly alights on a flower, it settles there softly and briefly. The word suggests a graceful, light movement rather than a heavy landing or clumsy dismount.

You might see alight in older books or formal announcements: “Passengers should alight at the next station.” A bird alights on a branch. A dragonfly alights on a lily pad. The word captures that moment of gentle arrival or settling.

As an adjective, alight can also mean on fire or glowing with light, though this meaning is less common today. A building might be alight with flames during a fire, or a room might be alight with candles during a celebration. Someone's face might be alight with joy, meaning it's glowing or shining with happiness.

Both meanings share a sense of something light and bright: the gentle landing suggests lightness of movement, while the glowing meaning suggests brightness and energy.