incandescence

[ in-kuhn-des-uhns ]

noun

1. the emission of visible light by a body, caused by its high temperature. Compare luminescence.
2. the light produced by such an emission.
3. the quality of being incandescent.

incandescence

/ ĭn′kən-dĕs′əns /

1. 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).
2. Compare fluorescenceSee also blackbody radiation

Other Words From

• nonin·can·descence noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of incandescence¹

First recorded in 1650–60; incandesc(ent) + -ence

Example Sentences

I pick up whatever thing a dream washes onto my shoreline and turn it over to look, hoping for the shimmery incandescence of pearl shell and fearing, instead, the exposure of a writhing, unspeakable underside—an impulse unmentionable.

From Nautilus

They fly closer to the sun than the rest of us, and there is an incandescence about them.

From The Daily Beast

It was first produced by heating with the current to incandescence a fine platinum wire.

From Project Gutenberg

The phenomenon of incandescence without oxygen seems peculiar to these lights alone.

From Project Gutenberg

Small wonder that the meteor is brought to lively incandescence and consumed even in a fraction of a second.

From Project Gutenberg

Once a Beowulfer vanished in a supernova flash, and when the ball of incandescence widened to nothing the ship was gone.

From Project Gutenberg

There were momentarily unbearable flashes of pure energy and from them globes of incandescence spread and vanished.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• beam
• blaze
• burst
• flame
• flare
• glare
• gleam
• glimmer
• glint
• glitter
• glow
• radiation
• ray
• reflection
• spark
• sparkle
• vision