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luminescence
[ loo-muh-nes-uhns ]
/ ˌlu məˈnɛs əns /
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noun
the emission of light not caused by incandescence and occurring at a temperature below that of incandescent bodies.
the light produced by such an emission.
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OTHER WORDS FROM luminescence
lu·mi·nes·cent, adjectivenon·lu·mi·nes·cence, nounWords nearby luminescence
luminance, luminaria, luminary, lumine, luminesce, luminescence, luminescent, luminiferous, luminism, luminophore, luminosity
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use luminescence in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for luminescence
luminescence
/ (ˌluːmɪˈnɛsəns) /
noun
physics
- the emission of light at low temperatures by any process other than incandescence, such as phosphorescence or chemiluminescence
- the light emitted by such a process
Derived forms of luminescence
luminescent, adjectiveWord Origin for luminescence
C19: from Latin lūmen light
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for luminescence
luminescence
[ lōō′mə-nĕs′əns ]
The emission of light as a result of the excitation of atoms by energy other than heat. Bioluminescence, fluorescence, and phosphorescence are examples of luminescence that can be produced by biological or chemical processes.
The light produced in this way.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.