bioluminescent
Americanadjective
Explanation
Organisms that can create their own light are bioluminescent. Though they're endangered, there are still many places in the world you can see bioluminescent fireflies blinking brightly in the dark. A firefly or lightning bug's illumination is generated in its abdomen, where a chemical reaction produces photons that transmit light. The process varies among the many marine animals, fungi, and bacteria that are bioluminescent. A glowing squid native to the Pacific Ocean gets help from bioluminescent bacteria living inside its body, for example. Bio- means "relating to a living thing," and luminescent derives from the Latin lumen, "light."
Vocabulary lists containing bioluminescent
"Another Place, Another Time," Vocabulary from the short story
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Into the Sunken City
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luc, lum, lus (light), List 1
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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.
The Photinus carolinus species of firefly has just a few weeks every summer to flash their bioluminescent lights and mate.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 3, 2026
About ten years ago, researchers began exploring a bold idea: using bioluminescent light to see what the brain is doing in real time.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 19, 2025
A postcard from Pandora would showcase its floating mountains, bioluminescent forests and sentient hot-air balloons.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2025
"Lantern sharks are bioluminescent, with light produced by photophores located on their belly and flanks, which is where their common name comes from," Dr Will White, a fish scientist, said.
From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2025
“Interesting. It’s difficult to observe if it’s chemiluminescent vertebrate or bioluminescent bacteria.”
From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
