luminescence

[ loo-muh-nes-uhns ]

/ ˌlu məˈnɛs əns /

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See synonyms for: luminescence / luminescent on Thesaurus.com

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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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of luminescence

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

OTHER WORDS FROM luminescence

lu·mi·nes·cent, adjectivenon·lu·mi·nes·cence, noun

Words nearby luminescence

luminance, luminaria, luminary, lumine, luminesce, luminescence, luminescent, luminiferous, luminism, luminophore, luminosity

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use luminescence in a sentence

The images of the sky at night compares the luminescence of the US and Europe to that of Africa, providing a stark reflection of the fact that New York state alone consumes more energy than 48 countries in Africa.
These Maps Reveal the Profound Progress and Peril of Modern Civilization|Robert Muggah|December 8, 2021|Singularity Hub
The luminescence dates securely placed Mtoto’s burial at 78,000 years ago, making it the oldest known human burial in Africa.
A Cave Site in Kenya’s Forests Reveals the Oldest Human Burial in Africa|Alison Crowther|May 28, 2021|Singularity Hub
On the few occasions I did see the aurora, the photo evidence looked more like a spectral fog than ribbons of luminescence.
The aurora borealis skipped this Alaska photography class. But some swinging light cords saved the night.|Bailey Berg|February 26, 2021|Washington Post
Tim said to me, “What if someone took a picture on their iPad and then used this method to turn iPad luminescence into oil paint?”
Can You Paint Like Johannes Vermeer, Too?|Andrew Romano|December 6, 2013|DAILY BEAST

And, ironically, in the darkness, he sees the luminescence of the jungle around him.
The Tantric Sex in Avatar|Asra Q. Nomani|March 4, 2010|DAILY BEAST
It glowed in the room with a pearly luminescence, and she saw the man's eyes turning to it, drawn as if by magic.
The Link|Alan Edward Nourse
The luminescence died; there was no longer light enough to penetrate to his helmet's darkened goggles.
The Great Dome on Mercury|Arthur Leo Zagat
His left hand fell upon Assha's shoulder, turning the man half around as Ross, too, stepped upon the patch of luminescence.
The Time Traders|Andre Norton
Then, swiftly as it had come, it was gone, and only a small globe of white luminescence floated above the great hulking machine.
The Last Evolution|John Wood Campbell
Hungrily the Earth man stared at his distant flash pistols, plainly visible in the luminescence of their fungus bedding.
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, August 1930|Various

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, adjective

Word Origin for luminescence

C19: from Latin lūmen light

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

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.

luminescence

Origin of luminescence

OTHER WORDS FROM luminescence

Words nearby luminescence

Words related to luminescence

How to use luminescence in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for luminescence

Derived forms of luminescence

Word Origin for luminescence

Scientific definitions for luminescence