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incandescence
[ in-kuhn-des-uhns ]
/ ˌɪn kənˈdɛs əns /
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noun
the emission of visible light by a body, caused by its high temperature.Compare luminescence.
the light produced by such an emission.
the quality of being incandescent.
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Origin of incandescence
First recorded in 1650–60; incandesc(ent) + -ence
OTHER WORDS FROM incandescence
non·in·can·des·cence, nounWords nearby incandescence
in cahoots, incalculable, incalescent, in camera, incandesce, incandescence, incandescent, incandescent lamp, incantation, incantatory, incapable
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use incandescence in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for incandescence
incandescence
incandescency
/ (ˌɪnkænˈdɛsəns) /
noun
the emission of light by a body as a consequence of raising its temperatureCompare luminescence
the light produced by raising the temperature of a body
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
Scientific definitions for incandescence
incandescence
[ ĭn′kən-dĕs′əns ]
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). Compare fluorescence. See also blackbody radiation.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
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