phosphoresce

[fos-fuh-res]

verb (used without object)

phosphoresced, phosphorescing 

1. to be luminous without sensible heat, as phosphorus.

phosphoresce

/ ˌfɒsfəˈrɛs /

verb

1. (intr) to exhibit phosphorescence

Word History and Origins

Origin of phosphoresce¹

First recorded in 1785–95; phosphor(us) + -esce

Example Sentences

He found that many organisms phosphoresce under ultraviolet light, so he created dramatic Technicolor images of the teeming biodiversity on the forest floor.

Read more on New York Times

Small animals in the water, microscopic organisms, sometimes phosphoresced—gave off light almost like lightning bugs—when disturbed.

Read more on Literature

Ian Kennedy, a mechanical engineer at the University of California, Davis, is using combustion to make nanoparticles that contain europium, an exotic and expensive element that phosphoresces strongly.

Read more on Nature

Becquerel noted that carbon phosphoresces at a certain elevated temperature preceding the dark red.

Read more on Project Gutenberg

Thou so picturest thyself before me, that I cannot see the phosphorescing nimbus of the earth glimmer and smoke behind thee!

Read more on Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• beam 
• blaze 
• blink 
• flare 
• glance 
• glare 
• gleam 
• glisten 
• glow 
• reflect 
• shine 
• sparkle 
• twinkle