luminescence

lu·mi·nes·cence

noun \-ˈne-s^ən(t)s\

Definition of LUMINESCENCE

: the low-temperature emission of light (as by a chemical or physiological process); also : light produced by luminescence

— lu·mi·nes·cent \-s^ənt\ adjective

Examples of LUMINESCENCE

1. the luminescence of the watch
2. <we could see inside the cave even without a flashlight because of the luminescence coming from some of the fungus on the walls>

Origin of LUMINESCENCE

International Scientific Vocabulary lumin- + -escence

First Known Use: 1889

Related to LUMINESCENCE

Synonyms

blaze, flare, fluorescence, glare, gleam, glow, illumination, incandescence, light, radiance, shine

Related Words

flash, glimmer, glint, glitter, scintillation, shimmer, sparkle, twinkle; daylight, moonlight, sunlight, sunshine; afterglow, aureole (or aureola), aurora, beam, halo, ray, shaft, streak, stream, sunbeam; glisten, gloss, luster (or lustre), polish, reflection, sheen

Near Antonyms

blackness, dark, darkness, dimness, dusk, duskiness, gloom, night, shadow

lu·mi·nes·cence

noun \ˌlü-mə-ˈnes-^ən(t)s\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of LUMINESCENCE

: the low-temperature emission of light produced especially by physiological processes (as in the firefly), by chemical action, by friction, or by electrical action; also : light produced by luminescence

—lu·mi·nesce \-ˈnes\ (audio pronunciation) intransitive verb, lu·mi·nesced; lu·mi·nesc·ing

—lu·mi·nes·cent \-^ənt\ (audio pronunciation) adjective

luminescence

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Process by which an excited material emits light in a process not caused solely by a rise in temperature. The excitation is usually achieved with ultraviolet radiation, X rays, electrons, alpha particles, electric fields, or chemical energy. The colour, or wavelength, of the light emitted is determined by the material, while the intensity depends on both the material and the input energy. Examples of luminescence include light emissions from neon lamps, luminescent watch dials, television and computer screens, fluorescent lamps, and fireflies. See also bioluminescence; fluorescence; phosphorescence.