Highlighted

[Calibax]

Sunlit, Moonlit, Candlelit, Spotlit, Uplit, Floodlit...
Why not Highlit?

[Maydup]

Why not indeed?

[MarkRae]

There's really no logic to this - it's just common usage.

However, in most cases, we used to use the "lit" form when we couldn't use the "light" form as the infinitive, e.g. you can't sunlight something.

You can, however, highlight something, therefore that thing is said to be highlighted. You can, of course, spotlight a stage and floodlight a pitch, so this distinction is effectively lost these days...

[sherrardk]

Can you have footlit?

[MarkRae]

Hmmm - there's no logical reason why not... What would you consider the theoretical verb "to footlight" to mean?

[mike11111]

It seems as though lit is used when it is prefixed by the thing that does the lighting, sun, moon, candle &c. This is not the case with highlight or footlight.

[MarkRae]

Uplit - what's an "up"...?

[Maydup]

I'd say "to shine a spotlight on" rather than "to spotlight", same for footlight probably, unlike floodlight which can be the noun and the verb?

[mike11111]

Uplit does not appear a a word in Chambers.

[MarkRae]

Nor uplighted...

[Maydup]

But uplighting is in the dictionary- "often used to bounce indirect light off the ceiling and back down"

I think a room can be uplit.

[MarkRae]

OK, but if "moonlit" means "illuminated by the moon", does "uplit" mean "illuminated by an up"? If so, what's an "up"...?

[mike11111]

And what does floodlit mean, illuminated by a flood...?

[Maydup]

Opposite to down as in downlighters.

And what about "flood" - not lit by a flood is it?

Who started this? lol

[MarkRae]

It most certainly does.

flood: light that is a source of artificial illumination having a broad beam

[Calibax]

Thanks for all your replies. Looks like it's just a usage issue as MarkRae says.
I was just intrigued as to why highlighted seems to buck the trend. As for uplit, I have certainly heard it used, in the theatre when a subject is lit from below for example but you're right, I can't find it in any dictionary so I'll delete it from my vocabulary!