lighter

Etymology 1

light (“ignite”) + -er (“agent”)

noun

1. A person who lights things.
   a lighter of lamps
2. A device used to light things, especially a reusable handheld device for creating fire to light cigarettes.
   Cigarette in mouth, he clutched his pockets in search of a lighter.

Etymology 2

light (“unload, lighten”) + -er (“agent”); or possibly from Middle Low German luchter

noun

1. A flat-bottomed boat for carrying heavy loads across short distances (especially for canals or for loading or unloading larger boats).
   It is, of course, possible to work only to or from lighters in this way, and such working is not very general in this country, although a certain amount of such overside work is carried on in enclosed docks. 1945 January and February, T. F. Cameron, “Dock Working”, in Railway Magazine, page 9

verb

1. To transfer (cargo or passengers) to or from a ship by means of a lighter or other small vessel.
   1900. Report of the Commission Appointed by the President to Investigate the Conduct of the War Department in the War with Spain. Vol. 7, pg. 3227. Troops and stores were lightered to the wharves inside the harbor by steamers Orizaba and Berkshire.
2. To transfer cargo or fuel from (a ship), lightening it to make its draft less or to make it easier to refloat.

Etymology 3

light (“pale”) + -er (“comparative”)

adj

1. comparative form of light: more light
   I prefer a lighter shade of pink.

Etymology 4

light (“not heavy, weak”) + -er (“comparative”)

adj

1. comparative form of light: more light
   What happened? You look 10 lbs. lighter!
   I wish I'd thrown a lighter punch; he's out cold.
   It is lighter to handle and more manoeuvrable, and its three caged sides with web straps on the fourth prevent movement of the contents. 1964 May, “News and Comment: WR's new parcel traffic method”, in Modern Railways, page 300
   For example, lightweight construction and Jacobs bogies save weight, and a lighter train uses less power. May 19 2021, David Clough, “Swiss precision meets UK growth”, in RAIL, number 931, page 57