ultraviolet

adjective

ul·​tra·​vi·​o·​let ˌəl-trə-ˈvī-(ə-)lət 

1

: situated beyond the visible spectrum at its violet end

—used of radiation having a wavelength shorter than wavelengths of visible light and longer than those of X-rays

2

: relating to, producing, or employing ultraviolet radiation

ultraviolet noun

Examples of ultraviolet in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Phosphor is a substance that emits light after being energized, and in the case of glow-in-the-dark objects, the phosphors are energized by light, including ultraviolet light, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA). —Rachael O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 June 2025

Blue Light Exposure Blue light sits in the light spectrum between ultraviolet, high-energy light, and other types of visible light that aren’t blue light and emit lower energy such as green, orange, and red light. —Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 21 May 2025

Located in the stratosphere, the ozone layer acts like sunscreen, blocking potentially harmful ultraviolet energy from reaching our planet's surface. —Doyle Rice, USA Today, 20 May 2025

Although Webb saw the auroras on Jupiter in 2023, the Hubble Space Telescope did not — despite the same observations being made simultaneously in the ultraviolet light by both space observatories. —Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing ultraviolet

• far-ultraviolet
• near-ultraviolet

Rhymes for ultraviolet

• inviolate
• violet

Kids Definition

ultraviolet

adjective

ul·​tra·​vi·​o·​let ˌəl-trə-ˈvī-ə-lət 

1

: located beyond the visible spectrum at its violet end and having a wavelength shorter than those of visible light but longer than those of X-rays

2

: relating to, producing, or using ultraviolet radiation

ultraviolet noun

Medical Definition

ultraviolet

1 of 2 adjective

ul·​tra·​vi·​o·​let ˌəl-trə-ˈvī-(ə-)lət 

1

: situated beyond the visible spectrum at its violet end

—used of radiation having a wavelength shorter than wavelengths of visible light and longer than those of X-rays

2

: relating to, producing, or employing ultraviolet radiation

ultraviolet

2 of 2 noun

: ultraviolet radiation