bioluminescence
[ bahy-oh-loo-muh-nes-uhns ]
/ ˌbaɪ oʊˌlu məˈnɛs əns /
noun
the production of light by living organisms.
QUIZZES
LEARN THE SPANISH WORDS FOR THESE COMMON ANIMALS!
Are you learning Spanish? Or do you just have an interest in foreign languages? Either way, this quiz on Spanish words for animals is for you.
Question 1 of 13
How do you say “cat” 🐈 in Spanish?
Origin of bioluminescence
First recorded in 1915–20; bio- + luminescence
OTHER WORDS FROM bioluminescence
bi·o·lu·mi·nes·cent, adjectiveDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for bioluminescence
This study found a gene similar to the one in animals like jellyfish, which could mean that animals using bioluminescence could have a common ancestor.
It is exciting that the researchers found a gene associated with bioluminescence, said the University of Kansas' Martin in an email to Popular Science.
Other people might have seen bioluminescence in ocean waters.
These glowing insects are often a person’s first experience with bioluminescence.
British Dictionary definitions for bioluminescence
bioluminescence
/ (ˌbaɪəʊˌluːmɪˈnɛsəns) /
noun
the production of light by living organisms as a result of the oxidation of a light-producing substance (luciferin) by the enzyme luciferase: occurs in many marine organisms, insects such as the firefly, etc
Derived forms of bioluminescence
bioluminescent, adjectiveCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for bioluminescence
bioluminescence
[ bī′ō-lōō′mə-nĕs′əns ]
The emission of light by living organisms, such as fireflies, glowworms, and certain fish, jellyfish, plankton, fungi, and bacteria. It occurs when a pigment (usually luciferin) is oxidized without giving off heat. Although it is believed that bioluminescence is involved in animal communication, its function in many organisms has yet to be understood. Bioluminescence is a form of chemiluminescence. Compare chemiluminescence.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.