luminosity

American  

[loo-muh-nos-i-tee] / ˌlu məˈnɒs ɪ ti /

noun

plural

luminosities

1. luminance.

2. the quality of being intellectually brilliant, enlightened, inspired, etc..

   The luminosity of his poetry is unequaled.

3. something luminous.

4. Astronomy. the brightness of a star in comparison with that of the sun: the luminosity of Sirius expressed as 23 indicates an intrinsic brightness 23 times as great as that of the sun.

5. Also called luminosity factor.  Optics. the brightness of a light source of a certain wavelength as it appears to the eye, measured as the ratio of luminous flux to radiant flux at that wavelength.

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luminosity British  

/ ˌluːmɪˈnɒsɪtɪ /

noun

1. the condition of being luminous

2. something that is luminous

3. astronomy a measure of the radiant power emitted by a star

4. Former name: brightness.  physics the attribute of an object or colour enabling the extent to which an object emits light to be observed See also colour

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Other Word Forms

• nonluminosity
  noun
• self-luminosity
  noun

Etymology

Origin of luminosity

1625–35; < Latin lūminōs ( us ) luminous + -ity

Explanation

Luminosity is the quality of something that gives off light or shines with reflected light. The most noticeable quality of a large, sparkly diamond is its luminosity. You might describe a bright and lively oil painting in terms of its luminosity, or marvel at the luminosity of a brilliant sunset. Astronomers use the word luminosity to talk about a specific property of physics, the energy given of by an astronomical object in a certain amount of time. There's a direct correlation between this amount of energy and the object's brightness. The Latin root is lumen, meaning "light."

Example Sentences

Shortly after Russia's invasion of Ukraine began, the Luminosity left port in northern Italy, arriving in non-EU Montenegro on 10 March.

From BBC • Sep. 19, 2023

Luminosity offers a tailored brain training program for individual users that focuses on memory, attention, speed, flexibility and problem-solving.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 20, 2021

May has also cultivated a wide following outside baseball as a streamer for Luminosity, with 178,000 followers on Twitch.

From New York Times • Dec. 1, 2020

He’s part of Luminosity Gaming, a professional esports outfit.

From The Verge • Nov. 25, 2020

Luminosity of the Spectrum to Normal-eyed and Colour-blind Persons—Method of determining the Luminosity of Pigments—Addition of one Luminosity to another p.

From Colour Measurement and Mixture by Abney, W. de W.