luminescence

American  

[loo-muh-nes-uhns] / ˌlu məˈnɛs əns /

noun

1. the emission of light not caused by incandescence and occurring at a temperature below that of incandescent bodies.

2. the light produced by such an emission.

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luminescence British  

/ ˌluːmɪˈnɛsəns /

noun

1. physics

   1. the emission of light at low temperatures by any process other than incandescence, such as phosphorescence or chemiluminescence

   2. the light emitted by such a process

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luminescence Scientific  

/ lo̅o̅′mə-nĕs′əns /

1. 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.

2. The light produced in this way.

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Other Word Forms

• luminescent
  adjective
• nonluminescence
  noun

Etymology

Origin of luminescence

First recorded in 1885–90; from Latin lūmin- ( see lumen) + -escence

Explanation

When some object gives off light, that light is called luminescence. The luminescence of a lighthouse helps keep boats safe on foggy nights. Glow-in-the-dark stars stuck to your bedroom ceiling have a luminescence you can see when you turn out the light at night, and lightning bugs blink on and off with luminescence in the summertime. Luminescence, scientifically speaking, describes a glow or light that's emitted at a cool temperature, rather than one caused by a fire, for example. The Latin root is lumen, or "light."

Example Sentences

The determination to find greatness in the ordinary gives “Song Sung Blue” a magical, unforced luminescence that much more immodest films usually lack.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 24, 2025

Their luminescence highlights the crowd while also creating a more intimate, reflective atmosphere.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 11, 2025

First, the researchers looked at the luminescence of the bands in the coral.

From Science Daily • Mar. 18, 2024

The scientists used a technique called luminescence dating to work out the age of the star dune.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2024

He prowled about by Mrs. Coulter’s sleeping bag, scratching with a little horny finger at the occasional glowflies that settled in the cave and smearing their luminescence over the rock.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman