A discharge-lamp lighting apparatus includes first and second cold cathode fluorescent lamps (CCFLs) and first and second transformers. The first transformer has a primary winding and a secondary winding. The primary winding receives an AC voltage generated by turning on/off a first switching element pair that is connected to a first DC power source. The second transformer has a primary winding, a first secondary winding, and a second secondary winding. The primary winding of the second transformer receives an AC voltage generated by turning on/off a second switching element pair that is connected to a second DC power source. Polarities of the first and second secondary windings of the second transformer are set so that a voltages of each of the first and second secondary windings becomes additive to a voltage of the secondary winding of the first transformer.