thermoluminescence
noun
ther·mo·lu·mi·nes·cence
ˌthər-mō-ˌlü-mə-ˈne-sᵊn(t)s 
1
: phosphorescence developed in a previously excited substance upon gentle heating
2
: the determination of the age of old material (such as pottery) by the amount of thermoluminescence it produces
called also thermoluminescence dating
Examples of thermoluminescence in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The technique doing the most damage to conventional wisdom is called thermoluminescence, TL for short.
—
James Shreeve, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
The teeth were dated to around 250,000 years ago based on thermoluminescence testing on nearby burned flint, and the set of samples recorded about three years of life.
—Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, 31 Oct. 2018
Hublin and his colleagues used a method called thermoluminescence to calculate how much time had passed since the blades were burned.
—The New York Times, Orange County Register, 7 June 2017
Potts also noted that in east Africa, dating the argon in volcanic ash is preferred over thermoluminescence (but there is no ash in Morocco to measure).
—Ben Guarino, The Denver Post, 7 June 2017
Chantal Tribolo of the University of Bordeaux Montaigne performed what is called thermoluminescence analysis to determine whether the silcrete tools from Pinnacle Point were intentionally heated.
—Curtis W. Marean, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2016
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James Shreeve, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019
The teeth were dated to around 250,000 years ago based on thermoluminescence testing on nearby burned flint, and the set of samples recorded about three years of life.
—Kiona N. Smith, Ars Technica, 31 Oct. 2018
Hublin and his colleagues used a method called thermoluminescence to calculate how much time had passed since the blades were burned.
—The New York Times, Orange County Register, 7 June 2017
Potts also noted that in east Africa, dating the argon in volcanic ash is preferred over thermoluminescence (but there is no ash in Morocco to measure).
—Ben Guarino, The Denver Post, 7 June 2017
Chantal Tribolo of the University of Bordeaux Montaigne performed what is called thermoluminescence analysis to determine whether the silcrete tools from Pinnacle Point were intentionally heated.
—Curtis W. Marean, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2016
Cite this Entry
“Thermoluminescence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thermoluminescence. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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