No lamp, no light. The term "lamp" refers to an engineered artificial light source – a device that converts electrical energy into light. Lamps are used in luminaires, which distribute and direct lamp light and prevent it causing glare.

Lamps are available in a wide range of designs. They are distinguished by the way in which they produce light, their geometry and their lighting characteristics. Lamps used for domestic lighting, for example, include halogen lamps, energy-saving lamps and fluorescent lamps.