incandescent
Americanadjective
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(of light) produced by incandescence.
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glowing or white with heat.
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intensely bright; brilliant.
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brilliant; masterly; extraordinarily lucid.
an incandescent masterpiece; incandescent wit.
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aglow with ardor, purpose, etc..
the incandescent vitality of youth.
adjective
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emitting light as a result of being heated to a high temperature; red-hot or white-hot
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informal extremely angry; raging
Other Word Forms
- incandescently adverb
- nonincandescent adjective
- nonincandescently adverb
Etymology
Origin of incandescent
1785–95; < Latin incandēscent- (stem of incandēscēns ), present participle of incandēscere to glow. See in- 2, candescent
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.
Mark Joseph Stern: This was one of the most incandescent judicial opinions I think I have ever seen.
From Slate • Jan. 23, 2026
Officials said Friday that the fire was likely caused by incandescent candles and sparklers attached to Champagne bottles that ignited a ceiling.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026
"The colourful incandescent lights are my favourite," she says.
From BBC • Dec. 20, 2025
Still, the heart of the song is Laferte’s vocal performance — wounded and incandescent.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025
From railings in front of the boxes hung triangles of silk embroidered with gold arabesques, all glowing with the light of adjacent incandescent bulbs.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
