cold light

American  

noun

1. light emitted by a source that is not incandescent, as from a firefly.

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cold light British  

noun

1. light emitted at low temperatures from a source that is not incandescent, such as fluorescence, phosphorescence, bioluminescence, or triboluminescence

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Etymology

Origin of cold light

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

It was a disappointing result for them, but when they review this game in the cold light of day they cannot be disappointed with the performance.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

That’s the way it looks in the cold light of Wednesday after President Trump’s announcement late Tuesday of a two-week cease-fire.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 8, 2026

But in the cold light of 2022, those stocks suddenly looked the most expensive and the most vulnerable as the Fed hiked interest rates to their highest level in 15 years.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 21, 2022

Or at least that’s how I suspect it will be seen in the cold light of hindsight, when some future Edward Gibbon sets out to tell the story of the American imperium in full.

From New York Times • Sep. 4, 2021

The cold light in Raheem’s eyes matched the tone of his whispered promise: this wasn’t over yet.

From "The Rock and the River" by Kekla Magoon