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

thermoluminescent

ˌthər-mō-ˌlü-mə-ˈne-sᵊnt 

adjective

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

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

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for thermoluminescence

• bioluminescence
• chemiluminescence
• immunofluorescence
• photoluminescence
• acquiescence
• adolescence
• coalescence
• convalescence
• effervescence
• efflorescence
• evanescence
• incandescence