tubelight

Definitions

1. Synonym of fluorescent lamp (“a gas-discharge lamp that uses fluorescence to produce visible light, especially one consisting of a tube filled with mercury vapour which emits ultraviolet radiation when an electric current is passed through it, causing fluorescence when the radiation hits a phosphor coating on the interior of the tube”); also, a light fixture containing one or more fluorescent lamps.
   India, South-Asia, especially
2. A person who is slow to reply or understand; a dim-witted person.
   India, derogatory, slang

Examples

“Tubelights can be very troublesome at times. They flicker on and on but refuse⟳ to glow. One may find⟳ to his surprise⟳ that while this is the case with his tubelight, his neighbour's tubelight in another apartment of the same block⟳ is functioning quite well. The problem is more prevalent in the evenings and is easily traceable to voltage fluctuations.”

“"Sunscreens protect⟳ you from UVA/UVB rays which can be emitted from many sources of light⟳ such as the sun, your tubelight and devices," Dr [Kaleem] Khan said, adding that using sunscreen once a day is the bare minimum you can do for your skin.”

“And Modiji [Narendra Modi], also being Snarkyji, described Rahulji [Rahul Gandhi] as a tubelight because Rahulji had interjected only a good 40 minutes after Modiji had launched into his Parliamentary speech. […] CFL bulbs and LED lamps have⟳ now taken the place⟳ of tubelights, and younger citizens may not be aware of what makes a tubelight a tubelight. It's the flickering, slow response, stupid!”

CEFR level