A pilot light is a small gas flame in a cooker, stove, boiler, or fire. It burns all the time and lights the main large flame when the gas is turned fully on. a small gas flame that burns all the time and is used for lighting larger gas burners
{i} pilot burner, small gas flame that stays lit continuously to provide ignition to a gas burner when it is turned on (as in a stove or furnace); pilot lamp