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candescent

[kan-des-uh nt]
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adjective
  1. glowing; incandescent.
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Origin of candescent

1815–25; < Latin candēscent- (stem of candescēns, present participle of candēscere to become bright), equivalent to cand- bright (see candid) + -ēscent- -escent
Related formscan·des·cence, nouncan·des·cent·ly, adverbnon·can·des·cence, nounnon·can·des·cent, adjectivenon·can·des·cent·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

dazzlingglowinghotlitluminescentwhite

Examples from the Web for candescent

Historical Examples

  • Then he saw, pale and candescent in the blackness, three or four great lilies, the authors of that perfume.

    The Island Pharisees

    John Galsworthy

  • He became conscious of a candescent spot on the far side of the hearth, where the light fell on old Heythorp's thick white hair.

    Five Tales

    John Galsworthy

British Dictionary definitions for candescent

candescent

adjective
  1. rare glowing or starting to glow with heat
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Derived Formscandescence, nouncandescently, adverb

Word Origin

C19: from Latin candescere, from candēre to be white, shine
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for candescent

adj.

1824, from Latin candescentem (nominative candescens), present participle of candescere "to become white, begin to gleam," inchoative of candere "to shine, to glow" (see candle).

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper