incandescent

[ in-kuhn-des-uhnt ]

/ ˌɪn kənˈdɛs ənt /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR incandescent ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

(of light) produced by incandescence.

glowing or white with heat.

intensely bright; brilliant.

brilliant; masterly; extraordinarily lucid: an incandescent masterpiece; incandescent wit.

aglow with ardor, purpose, etc.: the incandescent vitality of youth.

Nearby words

incage, incalculable, incalescent, incandesce, incandescence, incandescent, incandescent lamp, incantation, incantatory, incapable, incapacitant

Origin of incandescent

1785–95; < Latin incandēscent- (stem of incandēscēns), present participle of incandēscere to glow. See in-², candescent

SYNONYMS FOR incandescent

5 electrifying, brilliant, dynamic.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR incandescent ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

in·can·des·cent·ly, adverbnon·in·can·des·cent, adjectivenon·in·can·des·cent·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for incandescent

To that end, the budget postpones federal phase-out of incandescent electric bulbs.
Congress’ Gift That Keeps on Giving|P. J. O’Rourke|December 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
His bright idea turned out to be the incandescent light bulb, which he invented in 1880.
From Edison to Jobs|The Daily Beast|September 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They last far longer than incandescent bulbs and save enormous amounts of energy.
The GOP’s Relentless Crusade to Save America From Commie Light Bulbs|Michael Tomasky|January 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The light of halogen lamps is slightly more “whiteish” than incandescent lamps.
The Light Bulb Is Dead. Long Live the Light Bulb!|Ethan Biery|December 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Their dimming performance will rarely match that of an incandescent, but it is getting better as the technology improves.
The Light Bulb Is Dead. Long Live the Light Bulb!|Ethan Biery|December 20, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Others think the incandescent cinders and the force of their ejection were sufficient to cause the destruction.
Complete Story of the San Francisco Horror|Richard Linthicum
The radar-blip which told of that ship's existence changed to the vaguely vaporous glow of incandescent gas.
Talents, Incorporated|William Fitzgerald Jenkins
As a matter of fact, nothing short of sunlight is better than the incandescent electric light to read by or to work by.
Scientific American Supplement, No. 647, May 26, 1888|Various
These corpuscles bombard the anode and keep it incandescent.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 8|Various
The term is also used for a meshed cap of refractory oxides employed in systems of incandescent lighting (see Lighting).
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 17, Slice 5|Various

British Dictionary definitions for incandescent

incandescent

/ (ˌɪnkænˈdɛsənt) /

adjective

emitting light as a result of being heated to a high temperature; red-hot or white-hot

informal extremely angry; raging

Derived Forms

incandescently, adverb

Word Origin for incandescent

C18: from Latin incandescere to become hot, glow, from in- ² + candescere to grow bright, from candēre to be white; see candid

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