luminance
noun
lu·mi·nance
ˈlü-mə-nən(t)s 
1
: the quality or state of being luminous
2
: the luminous intensity of a surface in a given direction per unit of projected area
Examples of luminance in a Sentence
the emerald had a pure, icy green luminance
the landscapes of the French painter Claude Lorraine have a unique luminance that no other artist has quite captured
Recent Examples on the Web
With high luminance, linkability, and easy installation, Commercial Electric’s Integrated Heavy Duty Utility LED Shop Light is our pick for the best overhead garage lighting.
—
Jack Byram, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Sep. 2023
Opt for soft white bulbs with a low color temperature and luminance.
—Gina Mayfield, Dallas News, 13 Sep. 2023
Our final test with the Klein colorimeter measures the screen's contrast ratio, meaning the difference in luminance between the brightest white and darkest black that a monitor can produce.
—PCMAG, 15 Sep. 2023
According to the specs, the monitor offers a QD-OLED panel featuring 2,000 nits peak luminance and 4,000,000:1 contrast, while meeting the requirements for Dolby Vision mastering.
—Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Aug. 2023
In the behavioral study, researchers showed subjects briefly two light patterns made up of alternating strips of black and white lines, called luminance gratings.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 16 July 2022
And micro-contrast enhances the distinction between areas that are very slightly different in their luminance values.
—Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 11 Feb. 2016
Colors have properties like luminance, chroma and saturation, all of which affect their appearance.
—Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2023
The program predicts how people will perceive a compressed image on a screen by measuring three factors: luminance masking (distortion visibility depending on an image’s brightness), contrast masking (distortion visibility depending on an image’s texture), and structural similarity.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 Aug. 2022
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Jack Byram, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Sep. 2023
Opt for soft white bulbs with a low color temperature and luminance.
—Gina Mayfield, Dallas News, 13 Sep. 2023
Our final test with the Klein colorimeter measures the screen's contrast ratio, meaning the difference in luminance between the brightest white and darkest black that a monitor can produce.
—PCMAG, 15 Sep. 2023
According to the specs, the monitor offers a QD-OLED panel featuring 2,000 nits peak luminance and 4,000,000:1 contrast, while meeting the requirements for Dolby Vision mastering.
—Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Aug. 2023
In the behavioral study, researchers showed subjects briefly two light patterns made up of alternating strips of black and white lines, called luminance gratings.
—Avery Hurt, Discover Magazine, 16 July 2022
And micro-contrast enhances the distinction between areas that are very slightly different in their luminance values.
—Tom Yulsman, Discover Magazine, 11 Feb. 2016
Colors have properties like luminance, chroma and saturation, all of which affect their appearance.
—Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York Times, 26 Apr. 2023
The program predicts how people will perceive a compressed image on a screen by measuring three factors: luminance masking (distortion visibility depending on an image’s brightness), contrast masking (distortion visibility depending on an image’s texture), and structural similarity.
—IEEE Spectrum, 16 Aug. 2022
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'luminance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1867, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Dictionary Entries Near luminance
Cite this Entry
“Luminance.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/luminance. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.
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Medical Definition
luminance
noun
lu·mi·nance
ˈlü-mə-nən(t)s
1
: the quality or state of being luminous
2
: the luminous intensity of a surface in a given direction per unit of projected area
More from Merriam-Webster on luminance
Britannica English: Translation of luminance for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about luminance
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