TL;DR
A step light is a low-voltage fixture recessed into a stair riser, adjacent wall, or seat wall that washes the tread below with glare-shielded light, marking elevation changes after dark. Louvered or hooded faceplates direct the beam down at the walking surface rather than into approaching eyes, with one fixture per step or every other step typical on outdoor stairs.
What it means
A step light is a low-voltage fixture recessed into a stair riser, adjacent wall, or seat wall that washes the tread below with glare-shielded light, marking elevation changes after dark. Louvered or hooded faceplates direct the beam down at the walking surface rather than into approaching eyes, with one fixture per step or every other step typical on outdoor stairs. Wiring runs during hardscape construction are far cheaper than retrofits, so lighting plans place them before the masonry closes up.
Where it sits in the glossary
Step light is part of the Trade jargon group inside the ProFix Directory glossary. Browse every term in this category from the glossary index.
Why Ohio homeowners should know it
This is a term Ohio homeowners encounter when reading contractor quotes, hiring paperwork, or inspection reports. Understanding it well enough to ask one good follow-up question is usually all the protection a homeowner needs.
ProFix Directory keeps definitions short on the index page and saves the longer context — Ohio-specific rules, where the term comes from, and which ProFix tools touch it — for these per-term pages so the term is easy to cite and easy to share.
ProFix tools that touch this term
See also
License: CC-BY-4.0 — quote freely with attribution to ProFix Editorial Team / ProFix Directory.