fluorescence
Americannoun
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the emission of radiation, especially of visible light, by a substance during exposure to external radiation, as light or x-rays.
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the property possessed by a substance capable of such emission.
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the radiation so produced.
noun
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physics
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the emission of light or other radiation from atoms or molecules that are bombarded by particles, such as electrons, or by radiation from a separate source. The bombarding radiation produces excited atoms, molecules, or ions and these emit photons as they fall back to the ground state
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such an emission of photons that ceases as soon as the bombarding radiation is discontinued
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such an emission of photons for which the average lifetime of the excited atoms and molecules is less than about 10 –8 seconds
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the radiation emitted as a result of fluorescence Compare phosphorescence
Discover More
“Black light” depends on fluorescence for its effects.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of fluorescence
1852; fluor(spar) + -escence, on the model of opalescence ( def. ), in reference to the mineral's newly discovered property
Vocabulary lists containing fluorescence
Earth Science - Middle School
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Rocks and Minerals - Introductory
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Physical Science - Energy - Middle School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Fire salamanders already use their distinctive yellow and black patterns as warning signals, and fluorescence might provide an additional visual cue.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026
This additional light influences the measured fluorescence intensity, which scientists use to estimate how densely a particle ionizes the material.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026
Understanding whether fluorescence influences communication, mating, or predator avoidance could also contribute to conservation efforts.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026
Moerner received the 2014 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his pioneering contributions to super-resolution fluorescence microscopy.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 17, 2026
Maybe it was my nerves, but his office had the closed-in feeling of a jail cell, metal jalousies at the windows and fluorescence the only light.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
