incandescence
Americannoun
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the emission of visible light by a body, caused by its high temperature.
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the light produced by such an emission.
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the quality of being incandescent.
noun
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the emission of light by a body as a consequence of raising its temperature Compare luminescence
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the light produced by raising the temperature of a body
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The emission of visible light from a substance or object as a result of heating it to a high temperature. The color of the light emitted from solids and liquids is a function of their chemical structure and their temperature; the higher the temperature, the more intense and even the distribution of frequencies is (that is, higher temperatures create brighter and whiter light than lower temperatures).
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Compare fluorescence See also blackbody radiation
Other Word Forms
- nonincandescence noun
Etymology
Origin of incandescence
First recorded in 1650–60; incandesc(ent) + -ence
Explanation
Incandescence is the light from heat. A fireplace adds a warm incandescence to a house in the winter. The glow of a fire is known as incandescence. If you see a shooting star, the bright light is due to incandescence. When you have a good idea, a cartoon light bulb goes on over your head – incandescence can refer to that kind of lighting up, too, like a brilliant idea that sheds light on something. If someone has a thousand-watt smile, that’s incandescence. Any time something lights up from heat, physically or emotionally, it produces incandescence.
Vocabulary lists containing incandescence
The Pearl
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Power Suffix: -escence
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Physical Science - Energy - Introductory
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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.
It’s strange to move from the bulk of her book to the lightness of the woman who wrote it, to the one-of-a-kind incandescence that’s kept her a star.
From New York Times • Nov. 7, 2023
These fragments themselves pancaked, creating a series of brief but powerful flashes of light as they heated to incandescence.
From Scientific American • Feb. 15, 2023
“Spots of incandescence may remain near the vent, along channels, and at the flow front for days or weeks as the lava flows cool,” the observatory’s activity summary said.
From Washington Times • Dec. 13, 2022
Only half-listening to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s tale of sin and repentance, she saw a pillar of light slice down, as if piercing through the ceiling, and felt as if she melted into the incandescence.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2022
And then she opened her eyes to stark incandescence, squinting at Scythe Curie, who was standing in the doorway, by the light switch.
From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman
Definitions 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.
